Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy was contacted to gauge his interest in the USC job, but Dungy is "not interested" in a return to coaching.
"I am done and I am enjoying life right now," Dungy told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday. "I was able to quickly say no. I can give them some names, but I don't have any interest.
"I coached for 28 years and loved it and had the best job in football working for Jim Irsay and coaching Peyton Manning. There was a time when it was just done and over with."
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Among the candidates Dungy suggested were James Franklin of Vanderbilt, Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M and Colts first-year offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, previously a Stanford assistant.
And while NFL coaches and former Trojan players Jeff Fisher and Jack Del Rio are at the top of many fans' wish lists, Dungy believes it is important that USC hires someone with familiarity with the college game, experience the Super Bowl-winning coach admitted he lacks.
Dungy was in the college ranks for just one season, working as a defensive backs coach at his alma mater Minnesota in 1980.
"First of all, I don't know anything about college football, other than seeing it through my son's eyes," said Dungy, whose son Eric is a wide receiver at Oregon. "College football is so different than the NFL. That's what I think USC needs to do. They need to get a great college coach in my opinion."
Dungy might not have any recent experience in college football, but he does understand that recruiting is the lifeblood of the game.
"California, you've got such a recruiting base," Dungy said. "(Oregon running back) De'Anthony Thomas should be at USC, and that's what you have got to do. You've got to get those guys to come back to USC."
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.