Michigan's possible candidates to replace Hoke

Potential candidates to take over the Michigan football program:

Bret Bielema

At Arkansas the last two seasons after a run as Wisconsin's coach (2006-12), the 44-year-old knows the Big Ten and has had success. He was 68-24 with the Badgers and won three Big Ten titles and was conference coach of the year in 2006. Would he want to head north?

Jim Harbaugh

The current 49ers coach, a job he has held since January 2011, but has been the most talked-about potential candidate — the favorite? — at Michigan should there will be an opening. He has a deep connection with Michigan, having played quarterback for Bo Schembechler. Could college be enough for Harbaugh, 50, or does he want to remain in the NFL?

Butch Jones

The Michigan native played at Ferris State, got his first top job at Central Michigan (2007-09), where he had been offensive coordinator. Jones, 46, was Cincinnati's coach before landing at Tennessee, where he went 5-7 last year and 6-6 this season.

Les Miles

The oldest of the candidates at 61, he played under Bo Schembechler and coached offensive line at Michigan (1987-94). Miles, LSU's coach since 2005, has had his name linked with the Michigan job twice in recent years, in 2007 after Lloyd Carr retired and 2011 when Rich Rodriguez was fired.

Dan Mullen

He's one of the hot names because of the season Mississippi State has had going 10-2. It's the first 10-win season there since 1999. Mullen, 42, is in his sixth season there, but grew up in Pennsylvania. He was Florida offensive coordinator (2005-08) and coached quarterbacks at Bowling Green (2001-02).

Greg Schiano

He has been out of coaching since being fired after two seasons with the Buccaneers. Schiano, 48, was committed to Michigan athletic director Bill Martin during the coaching search in 2007, but rescinded and returned to Rutgers (2001-11). After his first four losing seasons, he turned things around in 2005.

David Shaw

He has won at Stanford where academic standards are high. He was offensive coordinator for the Cardinal from 2007-10, so he worked under Jim Harbaugh and coached quarterback Andrew Luck, the Heisman Trophy runner up in 2010. Shaw, 42, took over at Stanford in 2011 and was Pac 12 champion in 2012 and 2013 and coach of the year in 2011 and 2012.

Bob Stoops

The Ohio-native has been at Oklahoma since 1999, where he won a national championship in 2000. Stoops, 54, has won eight Big 12 titles and is one of the more established coaches in the country. Could he be ready for a change? He played at Iowa.