With Moore out, who's next up at Michigan?

Wait, you thought the college football coaching carousel was done?

Just when the seemingly never-ending merry-go-round had finally slowed down, a whale - not another horse - joined the ride: the head coaching position at the University of Michigan.

The school announced a stunning move Wednesday, firing Sherrone Moore for cause after a university investigation revealed that the Wolverines head coach engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Although the university had been conducting the investigation for multiple weeks, Moore met with media Monday to discuss the team's newly signed recruiting class and its upcoming bowl game against Texas. That suggests the school only recently decided to make the change.

According to On3's Brett McMurphy, Moore's firing now means 23.5% of power conference programs will have a new coach next season - a staggering number that shows just how crazy this coaching cycle has been.

Many of the top candidates have already taken new jobs, but this is Michigan, one of the jobs in the sport. The Wolverines have a recent national title, a highly touted quarterback in Bryce Underwood, and an NIL fund flush with resources. They should have no problem finding a top-level coach to take over in Ann Arbor.

With that said, let's take a look at some of the names who will likely be under consideration.

Kalen DeBoer

This option may be shocking, but if Alabama falls to Oklahoma in its opening-round College Football Playoff game, DeBoer could be headed north. The second-year Alabama coach always seemed like a bit of an awkward fit to replace Nick Saban (honestly, who wouldn't be?), and his tenure in Tuscaloosa has already endured some rocky moments.

Prior to joining the Crimson Tide, DeBoer spent the entirety of his career in the Midwest and on the West Coast. He could easily decide that he wants to exit the cauldron of SEC football for more familiar territory. While some are underwhelmed by his 19-7 mark in two seasons with Alabama, he's an outrageous 123-19 in his career as a head coach.

Jesse Minter

It's highly unlikely Michigan dips back into the Jim Harbaugh waters to hire someone from his staff, but the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator is the unquestioned choice if it does. Minter was brilliant during his time as the Wolverines' defensive coordinator from 2022-23, which included being named a Broyles Award finalist for the nation's top assistant in 2023. While he would be a popular pick among the Michigan faithful, there are a number of challenges around his candidacy.

First, Minter is likely to be in the running for upcoming NFL head coaching vacancies given his success alongside Harbaugh in the pros. He also received a one-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA for recruiting violations while at Michigan previously.

Kenny Dillingham

Dillingham has drawn rave reviews in three seasons at Arizona State, with the 35-year-old showing that he's among the best in the country at handling today's player-movement landscape. Arizona State is Dillingham's alma mater, so it will take a lot to get him to leave Tempe, but the prestige of Michigan could be enough to get it done.

Before taking over the Sun Devils, Dillingham coached under Mike Norvell, Gus Malzahn, and Dan Lanning. He'd be a welcome addition for the development of Underwood given his history with quarterbacks, such as Bo Nix and Jordan Travis.

Jedd Fisch

Anybody expecting Washington's Fisch to be on Michigan's short list will likely cite his previous stint on staff in Ann Arbor. That's certainly relevant, but the man has been with 15 different organizations since 1998, so he's far from a Wolverines lifer. Fisch has done excellent work with multiple quarterbacks throughout his career but carries a 31-33 all-time record as a college head coach. That could be a tough sell at a job this big.

Jeff Brohm

Michigan should absolutely call Jeff Brohm just to find out exactly how much he loves Louisville. He was born in Louisville, went to high school in Louisville, played quarterback at Louisville, coached Arena League football in Louisville, and is currently the head coach at Louisville. So yeah, it will be tough to pry him away from his Kentucky home. He also recently pulled his name from consideration at other jobs and told his bosses that he's committed to the Cardinals, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

However, none of those jobs were Michigan, and for the Wolverines, it's worth an inquiry to gauge Brohm's interest in returning to the Big Ten. Landing him will be a challenge, but there's no question he would be a home-run hire. If the man can take Purdue to the Big Ten championship game, there's no telling what he could accomplish with the mighty backing of Michigan.

Brian Kelly

Okay, hear me out. Kelly isn't exactly the hottest name on the market, considering how he flamed out at LSU, but his overall track record is exceptional - especially in the Midwest. Prior to heading south, he amassed an overall mark of 263-95-2 at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame.

Kelly's history with Underwood could also come into play here, as the veteran head coach had secured his commitment to LSU for a lengthy period before Michigan's NIL collective fired the money cannon and convinced him to stay close to home.

Jake Dickert

Dickert might not have the name cache of DeBoer, Kelly, or the like, but the Wake Forest head coach is a rising star in the industry. Dickert spent most of his career throughout the Midwest before taking over at Washington State. In his final season with the Cougars, he posted an impressive 8-4 mark that garnered national attention. Dickert then moved across the country to lead Wake Forest, which he immediately guided to an eight-win campaign, matching the team's combined win total over the previous two years.