Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is a candidate for UCF’s open head coaching position, according to a report.

That’s per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, who says Grinch has turned down chances to become a head coach in the past.

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Grinch spent one year in charge of the Buckeyes’ defense before leaving to take the same job at Oklahoma in 2019. In two years, he’s taken the Sooners to a top-20 overall defense in the country per SP+.

He’s also an Ohio native, having grown up in Grove City, Ohio, and played football at Mount Union.

The UCF job is open because Tennessee officially announced the hiring of, coincidentally, former Oklahoma quarterback Josh Heupel on Wednesday morning.

According to Feldman’s report, Oklahoma’s Zac Selmon is also a candidate to take over as UCF’s athletic director. If that happens, it stands to reason that Grinch’s hiring would become more likely.