Nearing its first full rotation, the onslaught of coaching rumors tying potential candidates to the offseason coaching carousel has begun.

Florida’s decision to announce Will Muschamp’s resignation with two games left on the schedule Sunday gave athletic director Jeremy Foley a head-start on the rest of the competition despite his public intentions to keep the phone on his desk until the regular season’s complete.

His comments Monday, though unintentional, erased some of the early candidates many thought had a shot at landing the job. Foley’s goal to name a coach by Christmas means a list of possible suitors has already taken shape despite varying reports that say otherwise.

The likelihood of Florida hiring Jim Harbaugh, Chip Kelly or any other NFL coach for that matter is slim. No current pro coach is going to leave his team during the season for the college ranks unless he’s pushed out by ownership.

Through the process of elimination, you can also cross out several assistant coaches perceived as possible future head coaches including Clemson’s Chad Morris and Alabama’s Kirby Smart. Foley, a respected figurehead in the SEC and one of the frontrunners to replace Mike Slive as league commissioner, isn’t making that mistake again, personnel decisions that failed miserably for former assistants Ron Zook and Muschamp.

One of the nation’s best during the hiring process, Foley’s presided over an athletics program that’s captured five major national titles (3 football, 2 basketball) since 1992 and has the backing of university president Bernie Machen.

“I am 100 percent confident in Jeremy,” Machen said Monday. “He’s the best in the business. It’s one of the reasons I’m staying involved (until January,) so nobody messes with him and lets him do his job.”

Realistic options

1. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

  • Hiring a coach with a proven track record and championship pedigree makes Stoops a home run choice, but would he listen to the program he coached at as Steve Spurrier’s defensive coordinator from 1996-98? You bet. He’s dismissed all interest in the job in recent weeks, but it appears he’s worn out his welcome in Norman during his 17th season. The Sooners have lost three games during the regular season for only the fifth time since 1999 and have fallen short of preseason expectations as a national championship favorite. He may be defensive-minded, but Stoops’ offenses at Oklahoma are perennially some of college football’s most potent. He would be appreciated at Florida and potentially build a near instantaneous contender.

2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

  • Gundy’s opened as Bovada’s betting favorite on Monday and would be a great acquisition for Gator Nation, providing instant offense to a program that’s struggled in that department since Urban Meyer’s departure. Foley did say he’s looking for a coach with an offensive background. The 47-year-old holds a 0.656 career winning percentage at his alma-mater in the Big XII and directed a passing offense ranked in the nation’s Top 7 three consecutive seasons (2010-12).

3. Jim McElwain, Colorado State

  • It’s a money issue with McElwain, a former coordinator in the SEC at Alabama and now successful head coach out West. The Gators owe Will Muschamp and staff nearly $8.5 in buyout fees and would have to pay Colorado State another $7.5 million to lure away McElwain. Is he worth that type of investment? That’s a difficult situation for Foley and Florida’s search committee, but the Gators certainly have deep enough pockets to fork it over.

On the outside looking in

1. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona

  • Another coach who fits the offensive bill with an uptempo spread option attack, there’s integrity questions that have followed Rodriguez, perhaps a red flag to Foley. During a failed three-year stint at Michigan from 2008-09, Rodriguez and the Wolverines were accused of five major rules violations by the NCAA. The situation was swept under the rug after the Wolverines agreed to self-imposed sanctions and probation. Rodriguez had the lowest winning percentage of any coach in Michigan history, but had success at West Virginia and his current stop out West.

2. Gary Patterson, TCU

  • Patterson’s built TCU’s nationally-relevant program from scratch, taking over in 2000 and leading the Horned Frogs to eight seasons of 10 or more wins. Respected by his peers as a man of integrity and high character, Patterson has no ties to the SEC and his expertise is on defense. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t bring in his current offensive coordinator Doug Meacham whose Air Raid averages 45.9 points per game.

3. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State

  • The former two-time national champion offensive coordinator at Florida under Urban Meyer has denied interest in the job during Mississippi State’s run to No. 1 this season, but his stock’s never been higher as a coach who can recruit and run a tight ship. Mullen’s relationship with Foley however is reportedly rocky.

Fancy, but no chance

1. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

  • Of course Foley would entertain a lengthy interview with Spurrier, a former Heisman-winning quarterback for the Gators and the program’s all-time winningest coach. The 69-year-old’s said repeatedly however that he’s not interested in a return to Gainesville and wants Florida to hire someone who could be there ‘for the next 10 years.’ A temporary fix, sure, but not a long-term solution for the Gators.

2. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss

3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn

4. Todd Graham, Arizona State