When the coaching carousel starts spinning, “insiders” with “sources” have a way of popping up on social media and team message boards.

After Florida State fired Willie Taggart, the FSU rumor mill started linking Bob Stoops to Tallahassee. Kirk Herbstreit and Steve Spurrier both poured cold water on the rumor, but that didn’t stop the message board and social media crowds from believing Stoops would be the team’s next head coach. After all, the Noles have not yet hired a new coach, so it’s not yet officially Not Bob Stoops.

FSU fans got excited earlier this week when photos showed the Doak Campbell Stadium field being painted and the stadium’s Champions Club being set up for a possible press conference.

Nothing came of the press conference setup, but some fans suggested that there had been a “secret press conference” held with Stoops. The Wednesday funeral of Oklahoma high school coach Allan Trimble was a central part of the theory.

On Thursday, Stoops’ Dallas Renegades of the XFL held their first practice. He was on hand coaching.

After practice, Sirius XM’s Big 12 radio spoke to Stoops and asked him about the “secret press conference” in Tallahassee.

“When did I do that? Today?” Stoops asked.

The hosts jokingly asked Stoops to explain his ability “to be in two places at once.”

“Yeah. You’ve just got to be me I guess,” Stoops joked. “You know how many times – like you just said that – and I don’t even know about it. There are so many things I hear that are supposed to be true, and I’m just finding out about them. I don’t sit there and research the internet for stuff about me. This happens all the time. Like you just brought it up. I have no clue.”