Since reports about athletic director Joel Maturi possibly meeting with San Diego State football coach Brady Hoke surfaced earlier this week, both sides have confirmed what sounds like an informational interview for the vacant head coaching position at Minnesota.

“I did have an informal conversation about an opening that’s out there,” Hoke told the San Diego Union-Tribune when asked about it after practice Tuesday.

According to a story in today’s Star Tribune, Maturi visited San Diego this weekend, but he didn’t say much else about the trip.

Regardless of what both sides did and didn’t say, Hoke fits many of the qualifications Maturi and president Bob Bruininks have discussed previously.

He has experience as a head coach and has turned Ball State and San Diego State into winning programs during his time at both schools. Hoke also has experience in the Big Ten, coaching Michigan’s defensive line from 1995-2002.

Another name flying around recently is Temple’s Al Golden, but many believe he could be Joe Paterno’s predecessor at Penn State.

Stay tuned to mndaily.com for more updates about the coaching search that is expected to finish before the December holidays.