One day after Willie Taggart was fired by Florida State just nine games into his second season, the college football coaching rumor mill picked up full steam Monday with many believing the Seminoles had already zeroed in on their next coach and landed Bob Stoops. While Stoops is indeed on FSU's list, the university confirmed Tuesday, the former Oklahoma coach denied that he has interviewed for the job or is even a candidate for the position.

Stoops on Tuesday told ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit that he's "not a candidate for the job." He also shared that he has not been on FSU's campus and is not interviewing for the job, according to Rivals' Carey Murdock. This after a local Tallahassee, Florida, television station reported that Stoops was the man and a deal was near completion.

Athletic director David Coburn shared Stoops' sentiments, though in a conversation with the Tallahassee Democrat, admitted that Stoops is "on the list, and he's certainly someone we would consider." The Democrat, however, cites sources that Stoops is indeed "the top target for FSU." It reports that the program "made contact with Stoops about the opening and there is interest from his side."

Coburn indicated that the school, which is using a coaching search firm and taking input from boosters, is eyeing the end of the month -- not the end of the week -- to complete its coaching search.

"Rumors we are close to an agreement with Bob Stoops are untrue," Coburn told the paper. "We are on schedule to have someone in this position by end of the month. ... Chances of something happening this week are virtually zero."

A simple social media scan would indicate that Stoops was not interviewing for the Florida State job on Monday. Rather, he was at the Hard Rock Casino for a Dan Marino Foundation event in Hollywood, Florida, providing his support for the charity and Rock N Roll Tequila. 

Stoops is set to return to football as the head coach and general manager of the XFL's Dallas Renegades. While his return to the sideline at the professional level has added his name to the list of high-profile and national championship-winning coaches available for hire, Stoops has yet to publicly indicate a desire to return to college football.