Jets Coaching Wish List

If Woody Johnson does indeed decide to drop the axe on coach Eric Mangini after a disapointing 9-7 finish to a season that was supposed to be a whole lot more, here is a list of possible replacements.

Most of these coaches are probably pipe dreams, but they must be considered nontheless.

1) Bill Cowher: Former Steelers coach is rumored to be talking to the Browns about their head coaching job, but if he decides to stay closer to family (his daughter goes to college in New Jersey), he could opt to come to the Garden State. Cowher would bring instant credibility to any franchise and would demand that his players show pride and heart each and every week of the season, even if they don't make the playoffs. Cowher has spent the last two years working for CBS in New York as a part of the NFL Today pre-game show, so he is no stranger of what makes New York tick.

2) Brian Billick: If Gang Green loses out on Cowher, they should look at Billick. Billick won a Super Bowl his first season in Baltimore but failed to develop a quarterback, boucning between Trent Dilfer, Kyle Boller and Elvis Gerbac during his long stay there. Unlike Mangini, Billick gets into people's faces and lets people know when he is unhappy. If Jet fans want a screamer, this guy is it.

3) Jim Fassel: Former Giants coach has not been a head coach since the 2003 season. The plus about Fassel is that he knows how to win in New York, having won a couple of division titles with Big Blue and havinh taken them to Super Bowl XXXV. The negative is that he has not coached in a long time, but he is due for a second chance.

4) Steve Spagnuolo: Current Giants defensive coordinator has developed the reputation as a master motivator. When his defense was failing to stop anyone the first three weeks of the 2007 season, Spagnuolo was credited with getting into the minds of his players and got them to pick up their game. The Giants defense picked it up so much that they were the main reason Big Blue is a defending champion today.

5) Steve Mariucci: If the Jets want to find a way to keep Brett Favre here, then bringing in Mariucci could do it. Mariucci was Favre's quarterback coach back in Green Bay in the early 1990's. Mariucci is known as a guy who develops quarterbacks: i.e. Favre and Jeff Garcia, so that should bode well for either Kellen Clemens, or rookie Brett Ratliff, or someone who is not on the Jets roster right now.

6) Jon Gruden: Another coach who worked with Favre in the early 90's, if that is a priority for the Jets front office. If not, the Jets should look at Gruden anyway. He could be in trouble in Tampa Bay after the Buccaneers choked away their season this year and may be in need of a change of scenery. Gruden is the type of guy who would be popular among the Jet fans because of his animated nature, and his desire to win NOW. Gruden does have a Super Bowl to his name but is not known as a guy who will develop a young quarterback.