Dan Campbell has already “made clear” that he would prefer to stay in the NFL.

But the head coach of the Detroit Lions has been dubbed a dream candidate for the vacant Texas A&M head coaching job, and with the Aggies having pockets seemingly deeper than the Mariana Trench, speculation doesn’t figure to die down any time soon. Campbell was asked by reporters on Friday if A&M had reached out to him about the position.

“Maybe,” he said. “But that’s all good. Certainly, I know some people there. I love my school, you know. That’s my alma mater, and I want to do anything I can to help them but coach for them.”

Campbell was also asked who he’d like to see the Aggies hire.

“I don’t want to get into all of that,” he responded. “Certainly the hire is important, and it needs to be somebody that understands the state of Texas, understands the history of Texas A&M, and can communicate with young people and develop them. I think that’s where it starts — strong leadership.”

Campbell played for the Aggies in the 90s. He has spent the entirety of his coaching career in the NFL.

And Campbell has proven to be a smart hire in Detroit. The Lions have steadily improved under Campbell. After posting a 3-13-1 record in Campbell’s first season as a full-time coach, Detroit has gone 16-10 since. Entering Sunday’s contest with Chicago, Detroit is 7-2 on the year.

Texas A&M’s search is expected to be wide-ranging. The Aggies reportedly interviewed UTSA’s Jeff Traylor earlier this week.