JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Clearly, Tom Coughlin is a better football coach than an actor.

"I'm very happy in the job I have!" the Jacksonville Jaguars coach yelled at reporters Tuesday. Nobody really believed him, of course, and another round of the Coughlin-Notre Dame watch was under way.

His 30-minute news conference was great theater. It began with his less-than-convincing declaration of loyalty to the Jaguars, who fell to 3-8 with their 28-21 loss to the Packers on Monday.

It ended with him falling down to his knees in jest, after being asked if this was as low as he's felt in his coaching career.

"It is. It is. Without a doubt it is," he said, as he kneeled on the floor.

In between those highlights, he played defense better than most of the Jaguars -- dancing around the repeated Notre Dame questions, and insisting "I won't respond to rumors," but never outright denying interest in coaching the Fighting Irish.

Has he heard his name mentioned as one of the prime candidates to take over for Bob Davie? At first the answer was no, but then he relented.

"I wonder why. Why would that be?" he said. "Could it be that I'm Irish-Catholic, and having been at Boston College and beating Notre Dame? What more can I say about it? What more can I say?"

If he really wanted to rule out Notre Dame, he could have. But being a realist, and facing a difficult rebuilding situation with the Jaguars, he knows this is no time to be ruling out options.

One reporter asked him if Notre Dame was his dream job.

"Is it flattering to hear that name? Yeah, sure it is, if that's what you want to hear me say," Coughlin said. "But the fact of the matter is, I have a job, it's a good job, I love the job. I came here for one purpose. I have not heard one word from Notre Dame, and I'm not going to talk about rumors. What more do you want me to say? What blackboard do you want me to write it on?"

It's that kind of fire -- not to mention his background -- that undoubtedly makes him intriguing to the Irish faithful, who have always liked a larger-than-life presence on the sidelines.

Strange as it sounds, Coughlin is also proving himself to be a pretty good coach under these trying circumstances this season.

Sure, the Jaguars have blown lead after lead, but they've been in contention in every game -- not bad for a team with more than its share of injured veterans, free-agent rookies, unknowns and retreads off the waiver wire.

The rub is that the Jaguars are stuck with this thin, inexperienced roster because of Coughlin's role as general manager. He's the guy who got them into this salary cap mess. It produced two division championships and two trips to the AFC title game over the first five years, but a 10-17 record the last two.

"It's been my responsibility since Day One here," Coughlin said. "I've basked in the sunshine of good times, and I'm struggling now that they're not here."

He said he's willing to stay with the struggle, assuming owner Wayne Weaver sticks to his pledge of keeping Coughlin, who has time left on his contract after this season.

"Am I disappointed, am I discouraged, am I frustrated? All of the above," Coughlin said. "Do I believe that in my heart that there's something here worth fighting for? Yes, I do. That's my feeling right now."

But in a week? Two weeks? Or if Notre Dame comes calling?

Those were the questions that didn't get answered Tuesday.