ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF head coach Josh Heupel said Monday that he loves his job, but he didn't definitively say he wouldn't be interested in the Florida State position, a day after FSU fired Willie Taggart.
Taggart, 43, was fired less than two years on the job with the Seminoles, prompting speculation about who will become the next head coach in Tallahassee.
The Noles are 4-5 this season after posting a losing record last year.
Bet Online listed the odds for Heupel to become the next FSU head coach at 7 to 1, just below former Florida and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. Matt Campbell, of Iowa State, is listed as the odds-on favorite, just ahead of Mark Stoops.
- Matt Campbell 3/1
- Mark Stoops 4/1
- James Franklin, Bob Stoops 5/1
- P.J. Fleck, Urban Meyer 6/1
- Josh Heupel 7/1
- Dino Babers, Matt Rhule 10/1
- Jimbo Fisher 15/1
- Jim Harbaugh 20/1
- Bobby Bowden 50/1
During an appearance on Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi's radio show, Open Mike on 96.9 The Game, Heupel said that he loves his current gig at UCF.
"I love where I'm at, I love the guys that I'm with. My wife and kids absolutely love living here and being a part of this university and this program. This is maybe the most unique job in college football," Heupel said.
Later, at a news conference, Heupel restated his job is "unique."
"The youth of this program and what this university, this athletic department and this football program are becoming. It's just different. All the bricks haven't been laid yet. You're constantly and continually building the foundation. There's a really unique energy when you walk into our building every day," he told Bianchi.
Coach Heupel restates UCF is “unique job” and his family and he enjoy being here in Orlando #ucf #ucfknights
— Nathaniel Rivas (@nathanielrivas9) November 4, 2019
UCF lost head coach Scott Frost to his alma mater, Nebraska, after he spent two seasons at UCF, including a 13-0 record in 2017.