Confident Geno knows it’s put up or shut up time

THIS is a different Geno Smith. A less defensive Geno Smith. A Geno Smith oblivious to the naysayers. A Geno Smith who never has stopped believing in Geno Smith.

Maybe it means nothing. Maybe he will, at some point, surrender his dream job to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Maybe it will mean everything.

He gladhands media members who have chronicled his failings, the 41 turnovers his first two seasons on the field, the cursing of the fan walking off the field, the missed team meeting the night before the Chargers game.

I tell him he seems different, and ask him what the right word is to use about him. “Confident,” Smith said. I remind him that he was confident last summer.

“Yeah,” he said, “but it’s a different kind of confidence.” Based on what? “Just ultimate faith, man, just having trust and the knowledge and understanding that if I put the work in that success will come,” Smith said.

He thought success would come sooner, and because it hasn’t, this is his last chance with the Jets. As one poll’s 32ndranked QB, It is laughable right now recalling his vow that he would be a topfive quarterback.

“Eventually,” he told The Post. “I know you guys want to say, ‘ Oh yeah, tomorrow.’ Eventually.”

I tell him this organization is not going to wait for eventually.

“Yeah of course, of course,” Smith said.

He has a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new weapon in Brandon Marshall.

It’s putuporshutup, and he knows it. Give him a chance to put up. “There’s a maturation process that I don’t think people respect these days,” Smith said. “I came in this league as a 21yearold man. Now I’m a 24yearold ... older man. So I’ll have a better understanding of what’s required of me, and I think that gives me the confidence.”

I remind him of his growing pains a year ago under the New York microscope, and he says:

“I’ll give you a good analogy, man: The hardest steel was created in the hottest of fires, and so I’ve been in the hottest of fires, and I think it’s made me a better person and a better player.”

The Jets’ season only depends on it.

As for his one of his highprofile teammates, Smith knows exactly why general manager Mike Maccagnan knows it is about time to sign Muhammad Wilkerson to a longterm deal. Smith knows what the organization should love about Wilkerson.

“Everything,” Smith said. “Leadership ... hardworking guy ... never gets in trouble ... what’s not to love about the guy? He’s a helluva player on the field, gives it his all. I can’t say enough about him.”

It doesn’t mean caving in to Team Wilkerson’s demands. It simply means figuring out, finally, that elusive common ground that has tested Wilkerson’s patience for over a year. It means listening to the fan who shouted over Saturday at Maccagnan: “Sign Mo longterm!”

Wilkerson was the quintessential Rex Ryan Jet.

Unlike Sheldon Richardson, he is the quintessential Todd Bowles Jet as well.

It shouldn’t be too much to ask our twentysomething millionaire sports stars to behave responsibly once they leave the arena, but for some incomprehensible reason, some cannot resist the urge to recklessly light off firecrackers or audition for the Indy 500 in a race car reeking of marijuana and keeping it a deep, dark secret.

Wilkerson hadn’t caused a sleepless night for anyone in the Jets organization, only for quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.

As for Smith, many Jets fans want him to be the answer.

Saturday, Smith completed a long bomb down the left sideline to Chris Owusu, and the gallery erupted in cheers. They even changed his name at practice.

“It makes no difference to me, honestly, man,” Smith said. “I’ve been playing football my entire life. I know the ups and downs of it.”

There have been too many downs. Let’s see if he can come out of the hottest of fires unscathed, with some ups.