Who’s next? We handicap the list of possibilities to replace Benevides

An early list of possible replacement candidates, along with the early Province line for getting the top coaching job with the B.C. Lions.

Dave Dickenson — Clearly he would be not only the front-runner of the Lions, having put in his time as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach with the Calgary Stampeders, but a fan base who would dearly love him back. He has solid Calgary roots but hasn’t given up all ties to the Lower Mainland. He was recently in the process of selling a White Rock condo, which was home this season to Kevin Glenn. But it’s also reasonable to think Stamps coach/GM John Hufnagel will relinquish his coaching job to keep Dickenson, especially if Calgary can win two more games this year. Odds: 3-2. Mark Washington — B.C. had to move Rich Stubler aside last season to keep Washington in the fold and make him a first-year defensive coordinator. All he did was deliver, until the end of the season at least, with a defence that surrendered 96 fewer points than last year. Odds: 4-1.

Paul LaPolice — TSN analyst turned down Benevides last year when there was a chance to be next in line. The former Winnipeg coach said he didn’t want to uproot his family. A chance to install his offence

again might make him think differently. Odds: 6-1.

Orlondo Steinauer — Kent Austin gets credit as head coach in Hamilton for the revival of the Tiger-Cats but it is the work of their secondyear defensive coordinator which has played a big part of the turnaround. Odds: 8-1.

Noel Thorpe — Another defensive-minded assistant who has paid his dues in Montreal and Edmonton. Thorpe runs an attack defence in the mould of Don Matthews and would be coming home. Odds: 8-1.

Marc Trestman — A fan board candidate based purely on wishful thinking. Trestman is still coaching the Chicago Bears, and even if he is fired as predicted, he would still be in line for any number of higher-paying positions in the NFL and NCAA. Odds: 25-1.