Who is next? Since Gillispie is gone, someone else will be the new head coach at UK. The Kernel takes a look at the top five coaches who will likely fill those blue shoes.

• Billy Donovan, head coach at Florida and a former UK assistant under Rick Pitino, will likely be the first choice of many UK fans. Conflicting reports swirled on Friday, with some Florida news outlets reporting Donovan will resign and join Kentucky. In an e-mail to the Kernel, Donovan said he was committed to building his program at Florida. After former head coach Tubby Smith’s departure in 2007, Donovan reportedly turned down the job. Odds: 3-1

• John Calipari, head coach at Memphis, has a strong résumé, including a National Championship appearance in 2008, and should merit serious consideration. He has twice won the Naismith National Coach of the Year award and went to the Final Four in 1996 before a brief stint in the NBA. He’s a strong recruiter with an exciting style of play, but recruiting violations from his time as head coach of Massachusetts could detract from his chances. Messages left for Memphis’ athletic department were not immediately returned. Odds: 5-1

• Travis Ford, head coach at Oklahoma State, is a former UK standout who knows the atmosphere surrounding the program. In his first season as coach of the Cowboys, he guided them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Several pundits believe Ford would take the job if offered. Ford was recruiting Friday and unavailable for comment. Odds: 6-1

• Tom Izzo, head coach at Michigan State, is an established coach who won the 2000 NCAA Championship. The Spartans have been to four of the last 11 Final Fours under his watch. It would be surprising if Izzo left the program he’s built in East Lansing, Mich., but it would also be surprising if UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart didn’t at least make an inquiry. Odds: 10-1

• Herb Sendek, head coach at Arizona State, is a former UK assistant under Pitino in the early ‘90s. He is known for coaching fast-paced teams with strong zone defenses, two characteristics UK fans value. Odds: 12-1

• Jay Wright, head coach at Villanova, reportedly turned down the opening in 2007 after Smith’s departure. The Villanova Wildcats are still in the NCAA Tournament, so it’s unlikely Wright would speak to Barnhart anytime soon. Still, his guard-oriented teams and salesman approach to coaching would fit well in Lexington. Odds: 15-1

• Sean Miller, head coach at Xavier, may be waiting for the head-coaching job at Pittsburgh to open up because he played for the Panthers. The Musketeers have been to the NCAA Tournament each of the last four years and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2008. Miller’s contract at Xavier, which goes through the 2015-16 season, could present an interesting hurdle for any school courting him. Odds: 20-1

• Thad Matta, head coach at Ohio State, is a tenacious recruiter best known for guiding the Buckeyes to the NCAA Championship game in 2007, where his freshman-laden team lost to Florida. Ohio State has one of the strongest athletic departments in the nation and would likely do whatever they could to keep him, but the draw of coaching Kentucky might be enough to pull him away from football-crazy Columbus, Ohio. Odds: 30-1

• Darrin Horn, head coach at South Carolina, is a Lexington native who rebuilt the Western Kentucky basketball program before joining the Gamecocks this season. His local ties and success against the Cats in his first year in Columbia, S.C., make him an intriguing candidate, but his résumé may not be strong enough. He has only one NCAA appearance. Odds: 40-1

• John Pelphrey, head coach at Arkansas, is an ‘unforgettable’ UK alum who led the Razorbacks to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. His young team made serious noise early in the season when they upset Oklahoma and Texas before going a disappointing 2-14 in Southeastern Conference play. Still, if all else fails, it’s difficult to imagine he wouldn’t be a candidate. Odds: 50-1