Cincinnati had one of college football’s top defenses in 2020. Now LSU is reportedly targeting the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator.

Brandon Saho of WLWT NBC 5 Cincinnati reports that Marcus Freeman is expected to interview with LSU this week. Saho adds that Freeman wants to be a head coach next, but is listening to LSU and others with defensive coordinator openings.

Freeman was a finalist for the Broyles Award which goes to the top assistant coach in college football. 247Sports named Freeman its Defensive Coordinator of the Year for 2020, citing his unit’s pre-Peach Bowl numbers top 10 rankings in scoring (16 points per game) and total defense (314.4 yards per game). Freeman’s Bearcats extended its streak of forcing a turnover to 20-straight games.

The 34-year-old former Ohio State Buckeye standout has been in coaching since 2010, starting as a grad assistant at his alma mater. He has also coached at Kent State (linebackers, 2011-12) and Purdue (linebackers 2013-16; co-defensive coordinator 2016).

LSU fired defensive coordinator Bo Pelini on Dec. 22 after one season on Ed Orgeron’s staff.