Who could be Colorado's next coach after Mel Tucker leaves for Michigan State?

After a slow start, the 2019-20 college football coaching cycle seemingly won't end. Colorado is the latest school in the market for a new coach.

Mel Tucker is off to Michigan State after only one year at CU, where he went 5-7, beat Washington and Nebraska, and signed a top-35 recruiting class. The program had momentum, and Tucker had publicly committed to staying, but Michigan State made an enhanced offer that Colorado couldn't come close to matching.

Colorado's financial issues are nothing new and are the primary reason the program has had only one winning season since 2005. Although the facilities were upgraded, Colorado must decide whether it can fully commit to staffing resources that most coaches crave to compete for championships. Colorado is a great place to live and work, and the program plays in a navigable division (Pac-12 South) and has some not-so-distant tradition, but there are recruiting and resource challenges in a state that doesn't produce a ton of FBS players.

Athletic director Rick George must act quickly, as the timing of Tucker's departure is less than ideal. Here are some candidates Colorado likely will consider to replace Tucker.

The candidates

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy: Bieniemy is generating the most immediate buzz as a replacement for Tucker. The former All-America running back for the Buffaloes somewhat surprisingly didn't land an NFL head-coaching job this year and might consider a familiar spot for his next move. His last stint at Colorado didn't go well, as he served as offensive coordinator in 2011 and 2012 under Jon Embree. Bieniemy, who also coached running backs at CU in 2001 and 2002, certainly doesn't need to leave the Super Bowl champs. But the 50-year-old is a familiar name for Buffs fans and could help ease the sting of losing Tucker.

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun: He has done great work in the state at one of college football's most challenging programs, going 98-69 at Air Force with five seasons of nine or more wins. Calhoun, 53, comes off his best overall season at the academy (11-2), one that included a win at Colorado. Although service academy coaches struggle to gain traction for FBS jobs -- even with on-field success -- Calhoun also spent time in the NFL with the Texans and Broncos and can modify his schemes to fit a different personnel group at Colorado. He makes a lot of sense for this job.

Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson: Like Calhoun, Anderson has been in the mix for many Power 5 jobs in recent years without landing one. Perhaps the timing is right here, as Colorado would get a veteran coach who has never won fewer than seven games at Arkansas State. Anderson has never won more than nine contests either, but he brings a steady approach that Colorado could use right now. The 50-year-old has extensive ties in Texas and would help Colorado's recruiting efforts there and in other areas.

Colorado assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Darrin Chiaverini: The late timing of the search increases the chances that Colorado will look internally, and Chiaverini would be the strongest candidate on staff. He's a former Buffaloes wide receiver who played four NFL seasons. Chiaverini, 42, has been on Colorado's coaching staff since 2016, working for both Tucker and Mike MacIntyre. He's a very talented recruiter with ties to Texas and California. Although Chiaverini hasn't been on the radar for other head-coaching jobs, Colorado is a unique situation.

Boise State coach Bryan Harsin: I'm hesitant to even include Harsin because he didn't want the Colorado job before and has passed up other Pac-12 opportunities to remain at his alma mater. He has an incredible record (64-17) with three Mountain West titles and five division titles. Boise State boasts great resources, and Harsin, 43, has spent most of his life in the city. But perhaps he's getting itchy for a Power 5 opportunity. If so, Colorado would be very lucky to have him.

Wyoming coach Craig Bohl: Colorado is seeking stability with this hire, and Bohl likely would view CU as a final stop in a very solid career. The 61-year-old is 140-72 as a college coach with three FCS national titles at North Dakota State and three eight-win seasons out of the past four at Wyoming. He played and coached at Nebraska and has had familiarity with the Colorado program for many years. Bohl also knows the challenges of recruiting to schools that lack a great deal of homegrown talent.

Arizona State co-defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis: This would be a surprising and splashy hire, and Lewis also brings some of the same strengths as Tucker (extensive NFL experience, defensive background). His recent move from special adviser to co-defensive coordinator at ASU shows his seriousness about coaching at the college level. Whether Lewis, at 61, wants to be a head coach again or leave close friend Herm Edwards at ASU is unclear, but Colorado would be wise to inquire. Lewis went 131-122-3 as Cincinnati Bengals coach from 2003 to 2018.

Mark Helfrich: The former Oregon coach and Colorado offensive coordinator needs a job after being let go by the Chicago Bears after two seasons. Helfrich's employment situation might turn off CU, but he's also available to step in. The 46-year-old knows Colorado and the Pac-12 and is just six years removed from coaching Oregon in the national championship game. He also spent time at Arizona State and Boise State, and he would have a good idea on how to recruit to Boulder.

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo: Like Calhoun, Niumatalolo's service academy/triple option ties have turned off some Power 5 schools, despite a sparkling record (98-60). Navy also went 11-2 in 2019, its second 11-win season in the past five under Niumatalolo. His approach would represent a big shift from Tucker, but Niumatalolo recruits nationally and has very strong ties to the Polynesian community, where Colorado has found good players over the years. The 54-year-old also could view Colorado as a potential last stop in his career.