The Jets plan to announce their new head coach on Monday, and new owner Woody Johnson appears ready to follow Parcells' recommendation. That means Parcells will remain retired and Groh, the team's linebackers coach and a former defensive coordinator under Parcells, will be elevated.

	Al Groh is an expert in the Parcells defensive system.

Parcells has reiterated to Johnson, who purchased the team this month, that his retirement announcement of Jan. 3 stands. On Jan. 4, Parcells' hand-chosen successor, defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, resigned. He subsequently filed a grievance with the NFL, which was dismissed, and currently is seeking to make a deal with the New England Patriots to become their head coach.

The Patriots must compensate the Jets, who hold Belichick's rights this year, and those negotiations are expected to take place soon.

So the Jets have turned to Groh, as much for continuity as anything. The team hopes to re-sign cornerback Marcus Coleman and linebacker Mo Lewis, both free agents. Elevating Groh might positively influence their decisions.

Groh also is an expert in the Parcells system, which features an aggressive defense with multiple designs, usually run out of a 3-4. While Belichick was the master of that scheme, Groh has helped refine it.

A head coach at Wake Forest from 1981-86, Groh became linebackers coach of the New York Giants during the 1989-90 seasons. The Giants won the NFC East in '89, then won the Super Bowl the next year.

After Parcells retired in May 1991 and Belichick left to become head coach in Cleveland, Groh moved up to defensive coordinator under Ray Handley. The next season, Groh joined Belichick with the Browns, serving as linebackers coach.

Groh reunited with Parcells in 1993 in New England to be the defensive coordinator, although when Belichick later came to the Patriots, Groh returned to working with the linebackers.

He always has had substantial input in defensive game plans, including when he came with Parcells and Belichick to the Jets in 1997.

The Jets' most impressive unit on defense has been at linebacker. Lewis was an All-Pro in 1998, while veteran Bryan Cox had one of his best seasons.

But the best linebacker Groh has been involved with was Lawrence Taylor, whom Groh helped recruit while he was coaching at North Carolina. Later, he worked with Taylor, Carl Banks and Pepper Johnson with the Giants.