Groh Named To Coach Jets

In a move that was widely anticipated, the New York Jets named their new head coach on Monday.

Al Groh, a friend of Bill Parcells for more than 30 years, and a long-time Parcells assistant replaced his former boss as coach of the team.

Three weeks after Parcells resigned and Bill Belichick stunned the club by quitting a day after he took over, the Jets finally sorted out their coaching puzzle.

Groh, who grew up a few miles from the Jets' training camp at Hofstra, signed a four-year contract worth a reported $3.2 million with new owner Robert Johnson IV, who bought the Jets this month from the estate of Leon Hess for $635 million.

Parcells, who turned the Jets into winners in his three seasons as coach, will remain with the club as head of football operations.

"This staff and this team will be my staff and my team," Groh said. "I do not want to be the continuity candidate or the stability candidate. We're dealing with the future."

Parcells, who turned the Jets into winners in his three seasons as coach, will remain with the club as head of football operations.

Parcells said today he will stay on until at least midsummer. He will then discuss his plans with Johnson.

"I'm going to act in a support role, as a consultant to Al, a supporter and adviser," Parcells said. "We are committed to him. We didn't hire him for continuity, we hired him for the future."

Added Parcells: "He's smart and tough and has the ability to stay focused. He will do a good job."

The 55-year-old Groh first worked with Parcells when the two were assistants at Army in 1968, and Groh also was an assistant under Parcells at Air Force. In the NFL, Groh was a Parcells assistant with the New York Giants, New England Patriots and Jets, where he coached linebackers last season.

Groh's last head coaching experience was at Wake Forest, where he was a respectable 26-40 from 1981-86 at a school not known as a football force.

Groh becomes the fifth Jets coach since 1990, following Bruce Coslet (1990-1993), Pete Carroll (1994), Rich Kotite (1995-96); and Parcells (1997-99).

"He's going to be a great head coach," Jets linebacker James Farrior said. "He really pays a lot of attention to details. I think he knows the game well and he's always, always prepared."

The ascension of Groh has been known for several days, and both he and others have been talking about the move.

Asked if having Parcells watching over him might be a problem, Groh said, "Why wouldn't I want to have a legendary coach with his credentials around as a rsource?"

It was not immediately clear how long Parcells planned to stay with the Jets, but he seems determined to stick around until the team has settled its coaching matters, addressed player contracts and put a draft plan together.

The Jets finished at .500 by winning seven of their final nine games under quarterback Ray Lucas, who took over when Vinny Testaverde had a season-ending Achilles' tendon injury in the first game and Rick Mirer was unable to generate much offense as his early replacement.

With Testaverde back, along with running back Curtis Martin and a solid defense, the Jets should enter the 2000 season among the top teams in the AFC.

Since Parcells' resignation, a whirlwind of activity has ensued, most of it off the field.

On Jan. 4, a day after the Jets closed the season with a flourish to finish 8-8, Parcells stepped down. He said he could still do the job, but was unable to make a total commitment.

A day later, Belichick Parcells' defensive coordinator and hand-picked successor, stunned the Jets by resigning. He said Parcells' status and the ownership picture was too confusing. Belichick filed a grievance with the NFL, claiming the team was not allowing him to seek employment elsewhere.

Then, the Hess estate chose Wood over Cablevision Systems Corp. head Charles Dolan to buy the team. Following NFL owners' approval of the sale last week, Wood tried unsuccessfully to talk Parcells into returning as coach.

Last Friday, the league ruled against Belichick. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Belichick is still bound by contract to the Jets for the coming season, and telling him, the Jets and any club seeking to hire Belichick to work out an agreement before Feb. 1.

The New England Patriots are interested in hiring Belichick as coach and general manager, but so far have been unable to work out an agreement with the Jets. Now, the Patriots are talking to Jacksonville assistant Dom Capers. When Parcells left the Patriots after the 1996 season, the Jets gave New England four draft picks, including a first-rounder, over three years.

Over the weekend, Groh was in Mobile, Ala., scouting pro prospects at the Senior Bowl. He said he wouldn't make many changes if he took over the Jets.

"The system of putting a team together, running a team, the whole thing as it's been spearheaded by Bill is one of the most successful operations in the history of the league," he said. "To be in three different Super Bowls, to resurrect two programs, with New England and the Jets, obviously it works. And all of us that have been in it feel very confident in implementing it igiven our own opportunity."

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