Norman - There is a coaching vacancy in South Bend, Indiana.
Notre Dame has fired head coach Charlie Weis after five seasons and a 35-27 record.
Now, comes word that an analyst for Notre Dame's Scout.com page says the Notre Dame Athletic Department and Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops have verbally agreed to the principles of a contract.
Stoops today put a damper on the rumors. Kind of. He told reporters he "intends" to stay at Oklahoma. He also said he wouldn't "confirm or deny whether I talk or not talk to anybody".
While that's a far cry from coming right out and saying "I will not be the next head coach at Notre Dame", it does give OU fans something to hold onto.
Oklahoma State fans can tell you about what a coach says and what happens. "It's hard for me to withdraw because I never put my name in the hat in the first place," is one thing Les Miles said before bolting to LSU.
Other quotes? "When I say I'm really happy here, I really am. I don't want to be looked at as (being) in a part-time spot. You got me? I just want you to know -- this is a place I want to be. I don't want to talk about anything else, just to let you know."
Until someone else is hired to coach at South Bend or Stoops comes out and says he is absolutely, unequivocally, 100-percent going to be the head coach at the University of Oklahoma when the Sooners take the field next September, the rumors are going to keep going.
Weis' Fighting Irish began the season 6-and-2, but lost four straight, including losses to Navy and Connecticut. The regular season ended Saturday with a 45-38 loss to Stanford after the Irish led 31-27 heading to the fourth quarter.
Stoops is 116-and-29 in eleven seasons at Oklahoma. But, his 2009 club has suffered through its worst season under his tutelage, going 7-and-5.
The Sooners did however cap off the regular season in style with a 27-0 win over in-state rival Oklahoma State Saturday in Norman. It's likely the Sooners are headed to the Sun Bowl, but the question is will Bob Stoops be with them?