Giants coaching search: What to make of Matt Rhule’s “plan” to stay at Baylor

Baylor coach Matt Rhule, believed to be a top candidate to become head coach of the New York Giants, told media on Tuesday that his “plan” is to return to Baylor in 2020.

Does that mean that the Giants should cross Rhule off their list and move on to other candidates?

Of course not.

Rhule, significantly in my view, did not say “I am staying at Baylor.” He said that was the plan.

Of course it is. First, because he does not currently have another job offer. Second, because he was trying to limit distractions as he prepares his team to play Georgia in Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl.

Rhule told reporters that he and his family are happy at Baylor.

“One thing people don’t realize is coaches, we pick up our families,” Rhule said. “We rip them out of their homes. We rip them out of the places that they are. Sometimes you do that until you get to a point where you find happy. You shouldn’t mess with happy.

”There’s a lot to accomplish at Baylor. And most importantly, it’s just each and every year, I want to put together a championship-caliber team. And I think we have a chance to be even better next year than we are this year. ... More than money, it’s about the situation for my family.”

Still, there are many reasons to believe that the Giants job could be the one Rhule covets above all others. Not to mention that Rhule, a young coach who has rebuilt two college programs, is the Giants’ primary target. Rhule, 44, is a New York City native. He has flirted with NFL teams in the past. He worked on Tom Coughlin’s Giants staff in 2012. He turned down the New York Jets a year ago after a dispute over who would hire assistant coaches.

Let’s see what happens after Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl. I would think there are likely some long, serious conversations coming between Rhule and Giants’ decision-makers.