Nebraska coach Matt Rhule had just said the word “elite” in reference to his current employer when, perhaps involuntarily, his shoulders drew up into a small shrug.

“I want to be a great father,” Rhule said, “and I want to be a great college football coach.”

Right now, that’s at NU. But the 50-year-old, a clear candidate for the open job at his alma mater, Penn State , stopped well short of any irrevocable pledge not to leave his current employer. Rhule’s presser started just as a press conference from PSU Athletic Director Pat Kraft — who fired James Franklin Sunday — was wrapping up.

“I’m not going to talk about job openings when they come,” said Rhule, who was successfully pursued during his successful coaching runs at Temple and Baylor.

“I’m not going to talk about my contract he

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