Kliff Kingsbury is gone at Texas Tech. Long live the Kingsbury! The irony in firing Mike Leach's former quarterback is that Texas Tech continues the chase a coach who is just like Mike Leach.

Well, not exactly alike. Belief in Big Foot and 128-team playoffs is not required. The point is that you can bet athletic director Kirby Hocutt will heavily consider someone with the Air Raid offense in their background.

That's why these names should be ones to watch as the process moves forward.

(One disclaimer: Until Brent Venables actually pursues a job, he won't make this list. Clemson's defensive coordinator is a former teammate of Hocutt at Kansas State. Venables has turned down interest from better programs than Texas Tech, possibly leaving millions of dollars on the table. Key question: Would Venables leave -- and would Hocutt allow him to report late with Clemson making another College Football Playoff run?)

1. Mike Leach, Washington State coach: It may seem far-fetched, but Leach has expressed interest in new jobs every offseason, and it has already been reported by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that there is mutual interest with many Tech boosters pushing for Leach's return. If you want a coach to run Leach's system, well, who better than Leach himself?

2. Seth Littrell, North Texas coach: The Mean Green's coach looked like a top candidate at North Carolina until Tech opened up. If Littrell can win nine in Denton, Texaxs, think what he could do with the resources at Tech. Connection to Leach? Littrell played for him at Oklahoma.

3. Neal Brown, Troy coach: Tommy Tuberville's offensive coordinator at Tech from 2010-12 knows the lay of the land. His offenses in Lubbock finished 15th, 13th and 13th nationally in total offense.

4. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia coach: Tech might be a lateral move, but consider this: Holgo now knows what the ceiling is at West Virginia. With an elite offense led by an elite quarterback, the Mountaineers were 8-3. Holgorsen is more than a disciple of Leach; he actually talks like him, too. Holgorsen was Leach's inside receivers coach and offensive coordinator for eight years at Texas Tech.

5. Todd Graham, former Arizona State coach: Tanned, rested and ready a year from being let go at Arizona State. He has run a version of the spread ever since his days at Tulsa. Graham recently interviewed at Kansas.

6. Sonny Dykes, SMU coach: As the son of legendary Red Raiders coach Spike Dykes, Sonny knows more about the job than anybody on this list. His record the last five years (24-37) makes him a longshot.