Nutt said he is happy coaching at Mississippi.

Mississippi football coach Houston Nutt, who expressed interest this week in the coaching vacancy at Kansas University, has officially taken his name out of the running.

In a statement released Tuesday morning, the coach indicated he was thankful for the “interest Kansas showed in our staff,” but was happy in Oxford, where he is in his second season as coach of the Rebels.

“I continue to appreciate the ongoing support of Chancellor Dan Jones and Athletics Director Pete Boone,” Nutt said. “We came to Ole Miss committed to building the type (of) program that our fans deserve. Ole Miss is a great university and the quality of life in Oxford is the envy of others. I can’t think of anywhere else we would like to be.”

Boone, who Monday denied reports that Nutt and KU athletic director Lew Perkins had been in direct contact, also released a statement voicing his support for Nutt and the job he has done with the program.

Nutt, who told the Clarion-Ledger he had initial interest in the position because he felt it would be easier to win in the Big 12 Conference, ultimately decided — after talks with Boone, Jones and Perkins — that that Ole Miss program was moving in the right direction.

“It crosses your mind that it might be easier to get to that championship game,” he told the paper. “But I’ve been in the SEC for so long. There’s nothing like a Saturday afternoon in the SEC. No disrespect (to the Big 12), but there’s nothing like it.”

As one potential candidate fades into the sunset, however, another apparently has sprung forth.

Responding to rumors that Minnesota coach Tim Brewster could be a candidate for the Kansas vacancy, UM athletic director Joel Maturi told the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Tuesday that he “can’t guarantee” Brewster will be back with the Gophers next season.

“There are rumors that he’s going to Kansas, so I don’t know,” Maturi told the paper. “What can I say? So I can’t guarantee it, no. I can’t guarantee the decisions of other people.”

“I’m smart enough to know that (Brewster’s) not going to tell me; nor is the athletic director at Kansas going to tell me until it’s a done deal,” he added. “I chatted with (Brewster) about it very, very briefly. I told him I’m getting tired of all of these Kansas calls. That’s kind of been my conversations with him. I know how the game is played. I know how it is. I’m respectful of that. I’m not going to believe the rumors until they’re fact. I’m not going to knee-jerk react one way or the other because of it.”

Maturi also told the paper that he had not been contacted by Kansas officials seeking permission to speak with Brewster. Prior to speaking with Buffalo coach Turner Gill — reportedly interviewed by KU on Sunday –Perkins contacted the school beforehand.

Brewster, whose 6-6 Gophers will play in the Insight Bowl for the second straight season, has two years remaining on a five-year contract that will pay him roughly $1 million annually.

In the past three seasons, Minnesota has gone 14-23 under Brewster.