Nebraska coaching search candidate lists are beginning to come together, and as press conferences get underway this week, coaches will be asked about their interest in the job.

Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports noted that for the seventh time since Tom Osborne’s retirement in 1997, Nebraska is looking for a coach. The next coach will replace Scott Frost after he went 16-31 3 games into his fifth season.

Among the candidates Dodd suggested are Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, Mickey Joseph, Nebraska’s interim coach, Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator, Gary Patterson, the former TCU coach and Texas analyst, and FOX Sports analyst Urban Meyer.

About Stoops, Dodd wrote: “Stoops has spent a decade methodically developing the Wildcats into an above-average, competent SEC program. Twice since 2018 he has won 10 games, perhaps prompting his angry comeback recently when John Calipari suggested Kentucky is far more focused on basketball success. Coming off one of his biggest wins Saturday at Florida, there is evidence Stoops may have peaked with the Wildcats. Nothing against Stoops, but no one is beating Georgia anytime soon. He’d have much better access to the Big Ten Championship Game (as opposed to the SEC Championship Game) playing in the Big Ten West. His culture, tireless work ethic and no-nonsense approach would appeal to Nebraska. If you don’t want to call him the new Bo Pelini, fine, but don’t forget Pelini’s legacy (67-27 in seven seasons) looks damn good right now. Stoops may be even better than that … without the baggage.”

About O’Brien, Dodd wrote: “Obie” already has Big Ten experience as the first Penn State coach in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. There is no healthier coaching tree from which to pick a coach: Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. He has coached both a Heisman Trophy winner (Bryce Young) and the G.O.A.T. (Tom Brady). The feeling right now: If O’Brien goes anywhere, it’s back to the NFL perhaps to replace Belichick one day.”