Pitt Football: Who Replaces Dave Wannstedt for the Panthers?

Dave Wannstedt was:

A. Fired.

B. Forced to resign.

C. Negotiated out of the head-coaching position at Pitt.

D. All the above.

Circle whichever one you feel is appropriate but Dave Wannstedt is out as the head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh. He'll become a wanted commodity as a defensive coordinator for a needy NFL franchise and now the Panthers can begin that painstaking search for his replacement.

Wanny patrolled the Pitt sidelines for six years, was 42-31 overall, 24-18 in the Big East and is gone because of the perception that he underachieved with the talent that came through his locker room.

So who's the new man for the job?

1. Jon Gruden: The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer head coach will have his named bantered around any opening in major college or pro football. It's simply the way to keep yourself in the headlines, up your market value and keep folks talking about you.

The truth is, Gruden is with colleges the way he was with quarterbacks during his days with the Bucs. As Jeff Garcia once said, "He dates quarterbacks but won't marry any of them." Meaning Gruden couldn't have enough signal-callers on his rosters but just couldn't settle on anyone.

Same with college football. Gruden will date some colleges but he won't "marry" one of them.

2. Dan Mullen: Leading candidate at Miami but Pitt is a great job in fertile recruiting grounds. Proven winner at Mississippi State.

3. Alex Van Pelt: Here's the perfect guy for the Panthers. Like Wannstedt, he is one of their own and a very accomplished one of their own. He broke Dan Marino's passing records. He was a journeyman backup quarterback in the NFL and so very often, backup quarterbacks make good coaches. Just ask the old ball coach, Steve Spurrier.

Van Pelt is currently the quarterback coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has effectively tutored Josh Freeman, who has led the surprising Bucs to a 7-5 record when most pundits foresaw them as six-game winners or less. 

4. Frank Cignetti Jr.: Current offensive coordinator for the Panthers, will serve as interim coach for the team's appearance in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

5. Randy Shannon: Is already getting inquiries from schools like Vanderbilt. The former Miami coach was fired for doing what he was asked to do—instill some discipline, graduate players and produce a winning record on the field. Apparently 7-5 doesn't cut it at Miami.

6. Todd Graham: Coach at Tulsa. Beat Notre Dame. Has done a great job in a program with no national profile. Not a big name most might want but a solid, solid coach.

7. Michael Hayward: Coach at Miami of Ohio. Again, solid coach but doesn't have the big-name appeal. Took Miami of Ohio from worst to first in his second year. From horrible to first place in the MAC. Great coaching resume.

There will be more candidates, plenty of candidates for Pitt to select from.

This is a prime job in a football-crazy city.

The line is forming.