Colorado Coaching Search: The Real Candidates To Coach The Buffaloes

We are now five days into the search for the next head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. The search for Jon Embree's replacement has seen rumors from all over the place, some legit, most nonsense. So here we try and sort out the noise from the reality.

I'm saying goodbye or no chance to these "candidates:

Troy Calhoun - Head Coach, Air Force Falcons - Honestly, I am quite happy to see his name up here.

Jeff Tedford - Former Head Coach - California Golden Bears- Not gonna happen.

Bobby Petrino - Former Head Coach, Arkansas Razorbacks - Was never a chance.

Mark Mangino - Former Head Coach, Kansas Jayhawks - Never forget.

@ralphiereport NEVER FORGET! pbs.twimg.com/media/A8zCVA6C… (cc: @nittanylines )

— James Lucas (@CUGoose) November 29, 2012

Kirby Smart - Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide- It WOULD be funny for the CSU game.

Willie Taggert - Head Coach, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers - He has more experience than Embree did and has done well, but he's still the youngest coach in college football and I think the administration wants service time with this hire.

Frank Solich - Head Coach, Ohio Bobcats - Heard nothing on this front.

Darrell Hazell - Head Coach, Kent St. Golden Flashes - Rising star, but I don't see him as a fit at Colorado right now.

Bronco Mendenhall - Head Coach, BYU Cougars - This name was first brought up by Woody Paige, so yea, no.

Maybe, but it's a long shot:

Charlie Strong - Head Coach, Louisville Cardinals - I am only putting him in the second category because of the noise over the last couple of days, but there is zero chance this happens. It would take 3 million +.

STRONG rumor from multiple (3) boosters: Offer would be in the range of $14-16 million over 5 years. @footballscoop @milehighsports

— Reed Marks (@reedmarks) November 29, 2012

Gus Malzahn - Head Coach, Arkansas St. Red Wolves - Would be a great hire, but there are going to be too many suitors to make this one work.

Sonny Dykes - Head Coach, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs - See above, but I do feel he would be a better fit than Malzahn location-wise because of his time at Arizona.

Bob Stitt - Head Coach, Colorado School of Mines - It's just a bit too early to consider him for the HC at Colorado. Would love to bring him in as the OC but that probably won't happen. I'll be bitter if he ends up going somewhere like UTEP and excelling.

Butch Jones - Head Coach, Cincinnati Bearcats - He be one of the biggest hires on this list, but would he make the move? Louisville and Rutgers exiting the Big East while Cincinnati stays is a huge benefit to our cause. Could Jones recruit the West Coast?

Dave Dorean - Head Coach, Northern Illinois Huskies - I just don't see the fit here with similar candidates much closer and more familiar with the recruiting landscape out west.

Northern Illinois' Dave Doeren not on Colorado's list, source says. I included him in my story because he's a hot commodity. #cubuffs

— John Henderson (@JohnHendersonDP) November 29, 2012

I believe the next head coach comes out of this group:

Tim DeRuyter - Head Coach, Fresno St. Bulldogs - Still my favorite. The fact that there hasn't been the level of chatter and rumor around it makes me think this is the guy if the Butch Jones or Charlie Strong plays don't pan out.

Gary Andersen - Head Coach, Utah State Aggies - There have certainly been preliminary discussions, but who knows how far those have gone.

Hearing there has been some dialogue between Colorado and Utah St's Gary Andersen.

— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) November 28, 2012

Colorado has contacted Utah State's Gary Andersen, per Denver Post.

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) November 28, 2012

Mike MacIntyre - Head Coach, San Jose St. Spartans - Hasn't been a whole lot of talk around MacIntyre, but I still believe he would be a strong plan B pick here. Cal might look here as well.

Anyone else I forgot?

By Jon Woods