Gus Malzahn isn't the only Auburn coach having to deal with job rumors at this juncture of the season.

Tigers offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey's name surfaced Sunday in connection to a head coaching vacancy not far down the road. A report from USA Today's Dan Wolken indicated that South Alabama has interest in Lindsey as a candidate to be the Jaguars' next head coach.

"No, I'm focused kind of on what we're doing here," Lindsey said Sunday when asked if he has had any contact with South Alabama about the vacancy. "Haven't done anything like that.

South Alabama announced last week that Joey Jones will step down as the program's head coach after its season finale this Saturday against New Mexico State. Jones served as the Jaguars' head coach for nine seasons and has accumulated a 52-49 record in Mobile.

Lindsey just completed his first regular season as Auburn's offensive coordinator. The Tigers went 10-2 and won the SEC West after unseating then-No. 1 Alabama, 26-14, on Saturday.

"Of course Chip has done an unbelievable job, and I think everybody is seeing that with the balance he's brought," Malzahn said. "You know, he called an excellent game yesterday."

Auburn's offense under Lindsey has produced balanced results, with the Tigers averaging 237.7 rushing yards per game and 232.6 passing yards per game. Auburn is 18th nationally in total offense at 470.3 yards per game, and under Lindsey's tutelage the Tigers have produced the country's seventh-most efficient passing attack that has also included a newfound success down the field.

If Lindsey were interested in the South Alabama opening, it could mean a possible pay-cut. Jones was making a total of $565,260 annually as the Jaguars' coach, according to the USA Today coaching salary database. Under his current contract at Auburn, Lindsey earns a total of $800,000 annually, according to documents released to AL.com earlier this month.

Should Lindsey leave Auburn for a head coaching gig at an FCS or FBS program before his contract is up, he would not owe the university all remaining money due to him through the duration of his contract at Auburn.

Lindsey, a native of Madison, has been on a rapid rise through the coaching ranks. He started his career as a high school coach in Alabama, with stops at Florence, Deshler, Sparkman, Springville and Hoover as an assistant, as well as head coaching stints at Colbert Heights, Spain Park, and Georgia's Lassiter High.

Lindsey has ties to the Sun Belt Conference as well, spending the 2010 season as Troy's quarterbacks coach before taking over at Spain Park. He was an analyst on Malzahn's staff at Auburn in 2013, and then spent the next two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Southern Miss and last season in the same position at Arizona State before rejoining Malzahn's staff as Auburn's offensive coordinator in January.

"Chip's going to be a head coach at this level, there's no doubt," Malzahn said. "I know that he likes it here, and we got unfinished business and I expect him to be around here a while -- but he will be a head coach, and he's going to be a big-time one."

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.