It’s been a year, but we could be seeing Brady Hoke back on the sidelines at the start of 2016.

Fox Sports college football insider Bruce Feldman reported on Thursday night that Hoke is one of the candidates that will interview for the opening at East Carolina.

James Madison coach Everett Withers, Virginia Tech assistant Shane Beamer and former Auburn coach/current UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik are all expected to be interviewed by ECU. The job opened after the university surprisingly fired Ruffin McNeill, who had three straight eight-plus win seasons, but finished 2015 at 5-7.

Hoke was fired at Michigan following a 5-7 season and decided not to coach in 2015. He spent the season regularly appearing on a weekly Sirius Radio college football show.

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The 57-year-old coach suggested that he would be interested in getting back into coaching with the right opportunity. Hoke did earn Coach of the Year honors at all three of his pitstops, and could be an attractive mid-major target having led Ball State to a 12-win season in 2008.

Hoke has the most experience of the rumored targets, but Chizik is the only one who boasts a national title.

Michigan, of course, had its best season under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh since Hoke led the Wolverines to a Sugar Bowl victory in 2011. They’ll take on Florida in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando.