10/10 — “You cannot replace a Gary Bertier.” Denzel Washington made this quote famous in the 2000 film “Remember the Titans,” and New York Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff couldn’t get the phrase out of his head two days after the trade that sent LB Jason Trusnik and WR Chansi Stuckey along with two draft picks to the Cleveland Browns for WR Braylon Edwards.

"I keep remembering that line from that movie," Westhoff said with a smile Friday. "I don't know why."

Bertier was the star Virginia high school linebacker who was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident, ending his football career. Westhoff recalled that line when asked about who will step up on the Jets' special teams to replace Trusnik.

Ryan Fowler, Trusnik's former teammate, had similar feelings.

“He was performing better than probably just about anybody in the league as far as a core special teams standpoint,” Fowler told newyorkjets.com. “There’s a big void now with him gone.”

His departure brings opportunity for other guys to step up on a unit that has performed well collectively to start the season.

Fowler is one of those guys that will be asked to take over.

“We’ll use Ryan Fowler in a couple of other roles that will be a little different,” said Westhoff. “It’s not like we really have just someone to take all of those spots because 'J' was very versatile. We’re going to move different people in and out and try to accomplish it with different guys.”

“If I’m asked to fill a couple of those spots, then I’ll do my best, but those are huge shoes to fill,” said Fowler. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing.”

Fowler is a sixth-year veteran who’s played on special teams for most his career in Dallas and Tennessee except for 2007, when he was the starting middle linebacker for the Titans. He was picked up by the Jets five days before this season started, but until now his role was primarily as a practice player.

The Jets' kick coverage recovered two fumbles against Tennessee, one forced by Trusnik, by executing some of Westhoff’s unique approach.

“He’s much more proactive as far as attacking with blockers instead of catching with blockers, causing problems for their punt protection and for their coverage by being very offensive,” said Fowler.

Sounds a lot like the defensive philosophy, which likes to throw different looks at opposing offenses with disguised pass rushes.

“Even though it’s like a defensive snap for us, we play offense so it puts the other team on its heels,” he said. “It’s a lot harder for them to do what they want to do when they're getting smashed in the mouth right off the bat instead of just getting caught.

“He draws his kickoff coverages like blitzes. We don’t just line up and run down the field toward the ball. There’s people crossing and people that are assigned to do different jobs as opposed to being very vanilla.”

There has been a lot for Fowler to pick up in the past month, having to play defensive snaps and on STs.

“With my teammates' support, hopefully I’ll be able to fill the spot and there will be an unnoticeable void there,” he said. “It hasn’t been tough, really. There’s a couple of little technique differences that I had to get used to, but as far as learning schemes and things like that, it’s not difficult because you only have to really learn one at a time. The way he gets to it and the personnel he uses to get to it is different almost every time.

The Jets' opponents on Monday, the Dolphins, like to catch the coverage unit off-balance, especially on kick returns. Last week against Buffalo, the 'Fins were successful in faking a reverse twice, taking a few Bills defenders away from the play. They gained 72 yards combined on their only two kick returns of the game, setting themselves up with good field position both times.

“They have two returners that are complementary to one another because they’re so different,” said Fowler. “They have [Ted] Ginn, who has blazing speed and who tries to get an edge on the coverage team, bounce it outside, get around the corner. Then you have a guy like [Patrick] Cobbs, who is more of a straight-ahead strong guy who can make the little cuts but is not going to shy away from contact.

“You have to be mindful of what they like to do," Fowler said. "But it doesn’t really change the coverage."

*Special Teams Saturday