Chuck pagano is, yano, only coaching for a top 5 NFL team this year. But yeah let's give chuck a call I'm sure he'll come through for an interview!
Gary Patterson has top 5 team & a great contract? He'll be on the first plane to Miami!
You deceptively listed Howard, Saban, JJ, and Ericksons positions as a means to justify your list. First, neither Howard or Lou were employed as head coaches before jumping to Miami (As Chuck is right now). Second, the program's JJ and Dennis (he coached at Washington state not Washington) were inferior to Miami at the time. TCU and UGA (while they don't have a stronger history) are further advanced w/ a better track record the past ten years. Only way bob stoops would come here is if he is fired. He is making 5.25 million a year. LOL @ UM even coming close to offering any candidate that money.
Lane and Chud are realistic candidates. For Chud I'm not sure how I feel about a candidate that has been out of the college grind for 12 years. One can cite Pete Carroll, but I don't believe Chud is as charismatic or strategic as Carroll. I'm not as down on Kiffin as others (considering our bare options), but I prefer other options to him. Unless he has humbled himself, I doubt UM would give him the keys to the Ferrari. The BOT did not like Dan Mullen's personality (which is reasonably according to the rumor mill around him) but Kiffin has a flashy style as well. Different from Mullen, but can rub people the wrong way. I would rank him above Cristobal without a doubt.
Our last three head coaches were two coordinators already on staff and a rising head coach (without a ten win season from the MAC). Get a grip.
NVA Cane has a great, realistic list