Mario Cristobal, welcome to the toughest coaching decision of your life. Your dream job is open. You're one day removed from leading Oregon in a bowl game. Miami needs a decision maybe not now but soon.

What are you going to do?

A South Florida football factory -- your alma mater -- awaits your answer. The stunning retirement of Mark Richt at Miami has started up the coaching carousel just when we were convinced it had stopped for 2018.

Richt left a Hurricanes squad that had been underachieving since late last season. There were problems with his specialty, quarterback play. Recruiting suffered.

We don't know exactly what happened at Miami, but we do know Crisotbal has a fairly urgent decision to make. For the moment, he has to be the overwhelming favorite to replace Richt.

The Hurricanes' former offensive lineman was the part of two national championship teams. He grew up in South Florida. His friends, family, DNA are all in the region. This is the job he wanted before Al Golden and Richt got it. In both cases, he didn't get much of a look.

That may change now. He has a national championship ring from Alabama as a coach where he was in charge of offensive line and tight ends for Nick Saban from 2013-16.

Complicating matters, the Canes would have to pony up to pull him away from the Ducks. Cristobal has a $10 million buyout with Oregon that drops -- but not by much -- to $8 million on Jan. 31. Plus, Cristobal has absolutely fallen in love with Oregon.

"When I say, 'All in,' I don't see that guy ever leaving," Mario's brother Lou told me earlier this year.

Further complicating matters? Miami is a better job, but it may be easier to win these days at Oregon. There's no Clemson in the Pac-12 at the moment.

Cristobal has to be high on Miami athletic director Blake James's list … once James gets over the shock.

1. Mario Cristobal, Oregon coach: Cristobal got the job with the Ducks after the abrupt departure of Willie Taggart largely because of his recruiting ability. He not only held together the Class of 2018, Cristobal has so far as assembled a top-five class at Oregon for 2019. If Cristobal leaves, Oregon would be going on its fourth head coach in four years. Yikes.

"My gut feeling is that he will stay," former Oregon coach and AD Mike Bellotti said. "Much like Willie, Mario is the consummate recruiter. I do believe that right now Oregon is a better job. The problem going forward is can he maintain that momentum at Oregon."

2. Manny Diaz, Temple coach: Another touchy situation. Diaz just left the Hurricanes to become a first-time head coach with the Owls.

One of the most respected defensive minds in the country has been on the job 17 days at Temple. Will he make it to a month?

3. Lane Kiffin, FAU coach: This is almost too easy, right? Lane has been successful in his bounce back job at FAU and is right down the road. It's obvious Miami needs an injection of energy after Richt's retirement.  

4. Matt Rhule, Baylor coach: Rhule has done wonders in two years at what was once a dumpster fire, improving the Bears from 1-11 to 7-6. It is known Rhule has been looking elsewhere. He interviewed with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts last year. The NCAA could be handing down major sanctions in an ongoing investigation.

5. Neal Brown, Troy coach: Writing his name in this space has almost become cliche. This innovative 38-year-old is ready for a Power Five job. Brown interviewed at Kansas State before the school hired Chris Klieman.

6. Chuck Pagano, unemployed: The former Colts coach, 58, has beaten cancer and is well-respected in South Florida. He was a former graduate assistant for Jimmy Johnson (1986) and served as Butch Davis's defensive backs coach from 1995-2000. Pagano has never been a college head coach.