If you’re a Division I A.D. and you have to hire a new football coach who’s going to make your short list? College Football News.com gets you started by giving you their top 50 coaches. Where you go from here is up to you. Here’s my short list.
Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia – Rodriguez has a good thing going in Morgantown and I think things will continue to get better.
Mack Brown, Texas – May be the best recruiter in the country and no has the championship monkey off his back.
Urban Meyer, Florida – One of the brightest young minds in all of college football.
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma – Here’s what CFN had to say about Coach Stoops; 
No one is perfect, and that obviously includes coaches. Keep that in mind as visions of the 2004 Sugar Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl and the first half of last year dance through your head. Yes, Stoops has shown hints of vulnerability the past couple of years, but not nearly enough to cloud all the good that he’d bring to any program. When he got on board in 1999, the Sooners were riding an unusual six-year streak of .500 or worse finishes, yet it took Stoops just two years to elevate OU to the top of the NCAA mountain. And they’ve been meandering near the peak ever since. He’s tough, disciplined and among the best defensive strategists in all of college football. Stoops is a franchise head coach, who’d bring dignity, better recruits and elevated expectations to his next employer.
Seven-Year Record: 75-16 (4-3 in bowl games)
Seven-Year Record Before He Arrived: 37-40-3 (1-1 in bowl games)
Here are CFN’s Top 25 Candidates. Check out the complete list.
25. Gary Patterson, TCU
24. Tommy Bowden, Auburn
23. Mike Bellotti, Oregon
22. Les Miles, LSU
21. Paul Johnson, Navy
20. Mike Price, UTEP
19. Ralph Friedgen, Maryland
18. Pat Hill, Fresno State
17. Dan Hawkins, Colorado
16. Mike Leach, Texas Tech
15. Tom O’Brien, Boston College14. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
13. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia
12. Bobby Petrino, Louisville
11. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
10. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
9. Jeff Tedford, California
8. Mack Brown, Texas
7. Jim Tressel, Ohio State
6. Urban Meyer, Florida
5. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame
4. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
3. Mark Richt, Georgia
2. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
1. Pete Carroll, USC
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