Oklahoma football: Three possible candidates to replace James Patton

MARK MANGINO

Current position: Not coaching

Why it could happen: Mangino's on-field success is undeniable; he was Stoops' offensive coordinator during OU's 2000 national championship run, and he led Kansas to unprecedented success as its head coach for seven seasons, peaking with a 12-1 season and Orange Bowl victory in 2007-08. He and Stoops remain close friends, and Mangino watched OU's regular-season finale at TCU from the sideline.

Why it might not happen: Mangino resigned following the 2009 season amid allegations of emotionally abusing players, and has been out of coaching ever since. Fair or not, those accusations likely aren't going away. Mangino's wife is also still recovering from breast cancer, although her condition has drastically improved in recent months.