The top 5 candidates to be the next Michigan football coach

The next head football coach at the University of Michigan will likely have prior head-coaching experience, although not necessarily from competing in a BCS conference.

As outlined by athletic director Dave Brandon, the next head coach will be someone who can regularly compete for Big Ten championships, someone who has an understanding of Michigan football.

Bonus points will be given to candidates who can tailor his schemes to existing players’ strengths and perhaps someone who has a defensive background.

“Is there a thought of getting a defensive-minded head coach? There’s a thought of getting a defensive-minded everything,” Brandon said Wednesday. “I want the ball boys to be defensive-minded.”

Brandon said that he’ll talk to any and all people he feels are qualified and capable successors to the 131-year legacy of Michigan football, but for now, he’s keeping prospective candidates to himself.

“I’m not going to get into this game of who and lists,” Brandon said.

But we will. We like lists. Here’s a look at the top five prospective candidates, sifted through the criteria laid out by Dave Brandon.

Brady Hoke was at the Champions for Children's Hearts golf scramble at the Michigan Golf Course in May.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

BRADY HOKE

Profile: Led two long-dormant programs to success at Ball State and San Diego State. Michigan’s defensive line coach from 1995 to 2002.

Why he might be a good fit: At Ball State, he came in and cleaned up a program beset by NCAA sanctions. He’s tied to Lloyd Carr and the Schembechler legacy at Michigan. A defensive-minded guy.

Why he might not fit: Michigan football is a totally different animal than the smaller programs Hoke has coached. In eight years as a head coach in smaller conferences, he’s won one conference title. Career record of 47-50 as a head coach.

Odds: 3 to 1.

JIM HARBAUGH

Profile: The 47-year-old Stanford coach is college and pro football’s most coveted coaching candidate.

Why he might fit: He’s has turned around two moribund programs as a head coach at San Diego and Stanford, which currently ranks in the Top 5. He’s a Michigan Man, having played for the Wolverines. He and his family have Schembechler ties.

Why he might not fit: Four years ago, Harbaugh said Michigan could do a better job educating its student-athletes, comments that still rub some administrators the wrong way. … Has Dave Brandon actually offered him the job? … He may have accepted an NFL offer by the time you read this. Odds: 30 to 1.

LES MILES

Profile: The 57-year-old coach at LSU has been a player and assistant coach at Michigan, succeeding in head-coaching gigs at Oklahoma State and LSU.

Why he might be a good fit: A Michigan man who has competed and succeeded in college football’s toughest conference. Won a national championship by punking a certain team from Columbus the Wolverines have had trouble beating lately. Why he might not fit: Was left in a lurch waiting for a phone call that never came during the last coaching search; it’s unclear what sort of relationship, if any, Miles has with the new athletic regime.

Odds: 20 to 1.

PAT FITZGERALD

Profile: Northwestern’s coach was college football’s youngest coach by five years when he took over the program at age 31.

Why he might be a good fit: A defensive-minded guy who also runs a wide-open spread offense that would be a good fit for current personnel. A Big Ten guy widely respected as an up-and-coming college coach. Why he might not fit: He’s a Chicago guy through and through with no Michigan ties who, as a coach, has never competed for a Big Ten title and has an 0-3 bowl record.

Odds: 45 to 1.

KIRK FERENTZ

Profile: Born in Royal Oak, Ferentz has guided Iowa for the past 12 season and compiled a 7-3 bowl record in that span.

Why he might be a good fit: He’s led the Hawkeyes to two shared Big Ten titles. … Knows what it’s like to take over a struggling program and coached at Iowa under current Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman. … Has regular recruited NFL-caliber defensive players. Why he might not fit: The last of those two shared Big Ten titles came six years ago.

Odds: 18 to 1.

BONUS SIXTH CANDIDATE

GARY PATTERSON

Profile: The long-time Texas Christian coach has built a non-BCS powerhouse during a decade in Fort Worth.

Why he might be a good fit: His strength is Michigan’s weakness. Defense, defense, defense. Texas Christian ranks first in the nation in fewest points allowed, first in fewest yards allowed. And he does it while running a 3-3-5! He’s won three conference titles in six years, and his teams have finished first or second five times in those six years. Why he might not fit: He has no ties whatsoever to Michigan, no ties to the Midwest. Factions that didn’t like Rich Rodriguez because he wasn’t from Michigan might not like Patterson’s outsider status.

Odds: 70 to 1.

Pete Bigelow covers the Michigan football team for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2551, via e-mail at petebigelow@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @PeterCBigelow.