Bobby Wilder, the associate head football coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Maine, reportedly is among the finalists for the head coaching job at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

Citing several anonymous sources, The Virginian-Pilot newspaper said Wilder, University of Virginia defensive line coach Mike London and William & Mary associate head coach Bob Solderitch are on the school’s short list.

When contacted Tuesday night, Wilder said he could not comment on the situation.

Old Dominion officials also have refused to comment about their search.

ODU is looking to start up its football program again in 2009 after having dropped the sport during the 1940s. The Monarchs plan to join the Colonial Athletic Association, the same Division I-AA league in which UMaine and the other former Atlantic 10 schools will begin play next fall.

In December, the 42-year-old Wilder had been a finalist for the head job at Idaho State University, where former UMaine interim athletic director and associate AD Paul Bubb is now the athletic director. John Zamberlin eventually was hired for that position.

Wilder, a former Black Bears quarterback who has spent 17 seasons with the UMaine program, previously explained he is happy in his position at UMaine, but has aspirations of becoming a college head coach and is ready to start looking into the right opportunity.

Old Dominion reportedly is ready to pump a lot of money and resources into bringing back its football program. That includes ODU students having approved a $7 per credit hour tuition increase that would support the football team.

Solderitch has spent 11 seasons at William & Mary as its offensive line coach. He has been the associate head coach under Jimmye Laycock for six seasons.

Solderitch also played at William & Mary and has coached high school and college ball elsewhere in Virginia.

London, a Hampton, Va., native, was an original member of Al Groh’s staff at Virginia. He was a defensive line coach for three seasons and served as the Cavaliers’ recruiting coordinator. He coached with the Houston Texans of the NFL in 2005 but returned to UVA last season.

He played his college ball at Richmond, where he later was a police detective. He has been an assistant at Richmond, William & Mary and Boston College.