re: Michigan's "Hot Board" of Coaching candidates (including Miles)

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Names you will hear/have heard

Butch Jones, head coach Tennessee Volunteers

Why it makes sense: Jones is a Midwest native and has a lot of ties to the area, having coached at Central Michigan, then Cincinnati before moving onto Tennessee. He has shown the ability to recruit with the best of them, putting together a pair of top recruiting classes in Knoxville and building more excitement within their program than they've seen in years. Has shown marked improvement on the field in his second season at the helm as well.

Why it doesn't make sense: "Marked improvement" means a bowl game this year for Tennessee. Jones has truly yet to prove that he can win on the big stage despite solid success at Cincinnati. If he was to leave Knoxville after only two seasons, what's to say he wouldn't jump on another job if someone came calling with a better situation after a short time in Ann Arbor? He runs more of a spread-based offense as well, which doesn't fit Michigan's current roster.

Dan Mullen, head coach Mississippi State Bulldogs

Why it makes sense: It's not easy to win in Starkville, and this season Mullen has the Bulldogs primed to make the CFB Playoff series this winter and compete for the first national championship in school history. He's shown a history of developing quarterbacks under Urban Meyer at both Utah and Florida and is likely to be one of the hottest names in coaching circles this off-season.

Why it doesn't make sense: Mullen's recruiting style, including a recent incident where they attempted to "lower" a player's scholarship offer from a basic one to a "greyshirt" are the types of things Michigan looks to avoid. It's not the first time it's been done by his staff, either. Until this season, Mullen's success was very limited, and he has a very, very senior-laden team this year. It may be a situation where his stock will never be higher.

Greg Schiano, former Rutgers head coach

Why it makes sense: Schiano is a former national college coach of the year that took a moribund Rutgers program and made them respectable in his time there. He's familiar with the Michigan job and was previously considered before when the job was opened in 2011. He's taken a year off from coaching and may be reinvigorated for the college game. Schiano also has a lot of roots in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from his time at Penn State and Rutgers and could recruit really well in two pivotal areas for the Wolverines.

Why it doesn't make sense: His complete failure in the NFL at Tampa Bay was highlighted by multiple mishaps, including major unhappiness on the part of a lot of his players. His tenure at Rutgers was sprinkled with similar incidents and a "my way or the highway" type attitude that turned players and scouts off. His current coaching record is barely above .500 and he's not a safe bet by any means.

Bret Bielema, current Arkansas Razorbacks head coach

Why it makes sense: Bielema was a big winner at Wisconsin, leading them to three Rose Bowls in a row before heading to Arkansas. He's familiar with the Big Ten, and his coaching style fits the current roster of the Wolverines. He doesn't like Ohio State at all either, which is probably a plus of sorts.

Why it doesn't make sense: He's only been 9-15 at Arkansas since taking the job. Despite his past success in the Big Ten, many see him as a bad fit culture-wise at Michigan.

Al Golden, current Miami Hurricanes coach

Why it makes sense: Golden is a Penn State alum who is another potential candidate that's very familiar with Big Ten football and how it works. At only 45, he's entering his coaching prime and is someone who would likely stick around for the long run if hired and found success. He's done an admirable job at Miami considering the sanctions that have plagued the program since his arrival and deserves credit for putting the program on the right path. Golden has proven to be a loyal coach, sticking with Temple early in his career despite being considered for jobs at UCLA, Tennessee and Cincinnati.

Why it doesn't make sense: Those same sanctions at Miami have clouded what he's truly potential of as a major college head coach. Golden doesn't seem like a fit in Ann Arbor either. He's a likely long-shot.

Gary Patterson, head coach TCU Horned Frogs

Why it makes sense: Patterson has sustained success at TCU, a program that constantly has to recruit against Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma and many others. He has his program in position to compete for a national championship in 2014 and will lead the Horned Frogs to their 9th season of ten wins or more this year. He's won the Rose Bowl as well and has shown the ability to build both a strong defense and elite offense. He may view the Michigan job as a chance to test his skills on the big stage.

Why it doesn't make sense: Patterson is a Kansas native who has no ties to not only Michigan, but the Big Ten in general. Recruits in Michigan's most important spots (Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia) may not be very familiar with Patterson. A Patterson hire would likely mean the Wolverines would have to transition back to the spread offense and their roster doesn't fit that right now. Much like Stoops and Miles, he's built something good at TCU and may prefer to stay there and continue to compete where he's comfortable.

Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator Detroit Lions

Why it makes sense: Austin is arguably the hottest assistant coach in football because he turned the Detroit Lions defense into the best in the league in his first season. He has coached at Michigan before, and has a lot of experience in the college game. He's a Pennsylvania native and has the type of personality that could succeed on the recruiting trail. The Michigan defense would thrive under his tutelage.

Why it doesn't make sense: Austin coached one year in college (2010), but has been all NFL since 2003 besides that season. We say he could succeed on the recruiting trail, but there's no real tangible evidence that it's the case. He's also never been the head coach at any level, and that's going to be his biggest knock before any program invests their future in him.

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