Drake basketball is now monitoring the future of Ben McCollum. The head coach has risen as a hot commodity in coaching circles for leading the Bulldogs to a 30-3 mark. Now his availability opens after Drake fell 77-64 to Texas Tech Saturday in March Madness.

McCollum, however, shrugged off coaching rumors not once. But twice. The 42-year-old delivered a comprehensive answer once he got asked about where he'll coach next season, per Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register.

“I don't really have much to say about it necessarily outside of I put everything into these guys and stuff like that,” McCollum began. “And I've done it for eight years. And so, that's what I'll continue to do.”

McCollum did address the rumblings surrounding his job status.

“But as far as the rumors, I've already taken eight jobs already. So it is what it is,” McCollum said. “But it floats around every year and that's what it is. It comes with success. That's what happens with success and it's just one of those things that's tough. But it is what it is.”

That's not the only time McCollum addressed his pending Drake future. He verbally danced around Shannon Ehrhardt of KCCI Central Iowa's question postgame.

But the rumors will only intensify for McCollum. Especially when one looks deeper into his resume.

Drake coach Ben McCollum mentioned for high-profile openings

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McCollum hit school history with Drake during the tournament. He led the Bulldogs to a massive upset over Southeastern Conference opponent Missouri to start the tourney.

But there's multiple high-profile universities likely ready to target McCollum. Especially considering his body of work as a coach. McCollum owns an astonishing 426-95 overall record. That includes wins from his previous stop of Northwest Missouri State at the NCAA Division II level.

Which schools have already become directly linked to McCollum? Iowa rose as one possibility — with Sean Bock of 247Sports reporting “he has a lot of interest” in the open job back on March 15. The Hawkeyes haven't named a successor to longtime head coach Fran McCaffrey. That could also mean the Big Ten school brings an Iowa City native over.

Villanova is one more major opening. McCollum surfaced as a possibility by CBS college basketball analyst Isaac Trotter on March 16. Trotter included Minnesota is another interested in the Drake head coach.

Indiana became one more blue blood program that entered the picture for McCollum. The Hoosiers, however, have since pivoted to Darien DeVries of West Virginia.