updated 7:03 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2006

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Eric Mangini has worked for Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, learning from two of the greatest coaches in the NFL.

The Jets are banking on that pedigree to lead them back into the playoffs.

Despite his youth and relative inexperience, the organization hired Mangini as its coach Tuesday. The former Patriots defensive coordinator, who turns 35 on Thursday, becomes the youngest head coach in the league.

Terms of the deal weren’t known but it is believed he will get between $2 million and $2.5 million per year over five years.

“Being compared to Bill Belichick is one of the highest compliments you can be paid,” Mangini said. “I am not Bill Belichick, I am not Bill Parcells. I am Eric Mangini. I’m going to approach it my way. I’m going to take the experiences and the lessons that I learned from those guys and I’m going to apply that to my team.”

The baby-faced Mangini won’t be confused with former coach Herman Edwards, who left for Kansas City last week. Mangini was reserved and low key at his introductory news conference, hardly exhibiting any of the fire and energy that is Edwards’ trademark.

But this is a new era for the organization, which hopes Mangini can instill a different attitude after the Jets finished 4-12 last season. Much of those expectations have to do with the people Mangini has worked under.

While Mangini was going to Wesleyan, he figured he would be an investment banker. But he spent two summers studying in Australia while coaching a semipro football team. It was there he realized he wanted to go into coaching permanently.

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Mangini took a job as a ball boy with the Cleveland Browns, then went to work in the public relations department. He then met Belichick, who gave him a few assignments to do. Belichick liked his work and gave him a job as an assistant in 1995.

From there he worked for Ted Marchibroda in Baltimore in 1996, then for Parcells and Belichick with the Jets from 1997-99. Mangini moved with Belichick to New England, where he served his one and only season as defensive coordinator in 2005.

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In all, Mangini spent 10 of 11 years in the NFL working under Belichick.

“I learned a lot from Bill Belichick,” Mangini said. “I learned you need to understand people. He is a master motivator. He was my mentor, my teacher and I consider him a close friend that I will have for the rest of my life.”

Mangini, who also has close ties with Jets assistant general manager Mike Tannenbaum, interviewed with the team Sunday, a day after the Patriots were eliminated from the playoffs. The Jets offered him the job late Monday night and Mangini accepted. Though there were reports Belichick tried to talk him out of taking the position, Mangini said his old coach was supportive.

The Jets interviewed seven other candidates, but they settled on Mangini because of his background and work ethic.

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