We are a couple of weeks removed from Florida telling Billy Napier to hit the road, and so far it has been quiet in Gainesville. Scott Stricklin and crew have been playing things close to the vest and are probably trying to navigate the fact that there are all of a sudden a number of high-profile openings, while there aren't that many high-profile candidates.
So, while there might be some other names floating around, these are the most common names getting tossed around, and this is our ranking of which candidate looks the strongest and which candidate we want no part of in Gainesville.
No. 10 Jon Gruden - Barstool Sports
The former Super Bowl winner hasn't really had his name pop up as a serious candidate, but there is a section of the fanbase that wouldn't seem to mind him.
But he has zero college experience. Ask Bill Belichick how well that works out for someone in the modern era.
No. 9 James Franklin - Penn State
His name keeps getting tossed around because he is a competent enough head coach who could create a steady program that wins nine games a year and makes its fair share of the playoffs.
But Franklin does not have a championship ceiling as a coach, and Florida is better off taking a shot at someone with a far higher ceiling, even if they may have a lower floor.
No. 8 Eli Drinkwitz - Missouri
He may be far lower on our list than some others, and even people like Steve Spurrier like him far more than us, but Drinkwitz has the same problem as Franklin:
He can't win the big games.
His loss to Vanderbilt in Week 9 dropped him 1-9 against AP top ten teams since he arrived at Missouri. It also took him until year four to be "good," and even then it's because he has mostly benefitted from a soft schedule.
No. 7 Brent Key - Georgia Tech
He's the perfect type of coach for a place like Georgia Tech, and he absolutely can build a team that could compete against anyone in the country.
The problem is that it doesn't make him a great fit at Florida. At a place where he would have access to athletes all over the state, building a bully ball" style roster would just be a continuation of what got Billy Napier fired.
No. 6 Glenn Schumann - Georgia
The Georgia defensive coordinator has had his name thrown around by some publications, and if Florida hits paydirt, they could be landing the next Dan Lanning.
But Georgia's defense has been a question mark this season, and Schumann hasn't jumped out as the "it" guy just yet.
No. 5 Lincoln Riley - USC
If he picks up the phone, you keep calling. But even though he picked up a big win over Nebraska on Saturday, there has just been something amiss in LA since Riley jumped ship from Oklahoma.
Maybe it's a lack of fit at USC, and maybe his offensive style would be perfect at a place like Florida, but his stint with USC has proven he is not the automatic shooting star he looked like at Oklahoma.
No. 4 Brian Hartline - Ohio State
Ohio State's offense keeps humming along, and if you are looking for a wildcard, Brian Harline could be a worthwhile gamble.
He is an ace at getting elite talent to Columbus, though one does have to wonder if his offense is great simply because of the elite talent.
No. 3 Jedd Fisch - Washington
The Florida alum has Power 4 experience at two different programs, has an offensive background, and would be someone who could step right in and understand the culture of Florida.
But there reason why there continues to feel like some resistance from Gator fans is that Fisch, like many others on this list, has yet to prove that "it" factor that makes him an instant hire.
No. 2 Jeff Brohm - Louisville
All three programs Jeff Brohm has been at have had success, but it did take him quite a bit to get Purdue into the upper half of the Big Ten.
Since arriving at Louisville, he has had instant success, and he's winning the games he is supposed to win while punching above his weight as needed.
The one concern with Brohm is that a place like Florida would be a massive jump in program profile, even though he now has nine years of Power 4 experience.
No. 1 Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss
Did you expect anyone else?
The longer it drags on that Kiffin hasn't signed an extension, and the more Kiffin has to beg Ole Miss fans to show up to games, the more the speculation of him taking the job in Gainesville is going to grow.