Auburn’s next offensive coordinator may already be in the SEC.

Sources tell FootballScoop that South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley is the top candidate to become Gus Malzahn’s new offensive coordinator. Bentley was an analyst at Auburn in 2014 and ’15 before he followed Will Muschamp to South Carolina as running backs coach.

Bentley’s son, Gamecocks QB Jake Bentley, recently completed his junior season at South Carolina. After the Gamecocks’ season finale, Bentley acknowledged he has a decision to make about whether to return for his senior season or enter the NFL Draft.

“I think we’ll go over it (with family), just see what the best thing to do is,” Bentley said. “Like I said Tuesday, there’s a lot of stuff still out there that I haven’t accomplished and I feel like our team hasn’t accomplished yet. That’s going to be a big factor in it.

“Definitely going to see every situation, but I’ll definitely just be focused on the (bowl) game.”

It will be interesting to see if one Bentley’s decision impacts the other. The FootballScoop report says Malzahn “would like to have the matter settled” by the end of the weekend or Monday.