NEW YORK JETS
Mangini Is Trying to Import The Patriots' Winning Ways
Jets Coach Eric Mangini was defensive coordinator for New England, leading a unit that ranked only 26th in the league last season.
(By Mike Stobe -- Getty Images)
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Organization, mastery of X's and O's and motivational skills are the usual requirements for an NFL head coach. But Eric Mangini has the one quality seemingly most in demand in today's football climate -- knowing Bill Belichick really well. Mangini spent last season as the Patriots' defensive coordinator, having replaced Romeo Crennel.
After that one year as a coordinator, the Jets made the mild-mannered Mangini the league's youngest coach at age 35. He demonstrated Belichick-like qualities during the preseason, fostering a reputation as a disciplinarian.
After months of speculation as to whom the quarterback would be, Mangini named injury-prone Chad Pennington the starter. He listed the foursome of Brooks Bollinger, Kellen Clemens, Pennington and Patrick Ramsey in alphabetical order on the depth chart during the preseason in an effort to emphasize how open the competition was. There's another Belichick-like quality.
The most intriguing quarterback on the team might be Brad Smith, who actually plays wide receiver. Smith finished his college career at Missouri fourth on the NCAA's all-time total offense list, and he's dazzled in the preseason with an array of trick plays.
The running back situation is unsettled. Curtis Martin is on the physically unable to perform list and therefore unable to play for at least the first six weeks of the season. Mangini said Monday that he plans to use four running backs -- Kevan Barlow, Cedric Houston, Derrick Blaylock and rookie Leon Washington -- to open the season at Tennessee.
