[koko1]

TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore met with Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban on Monday night in Miami. Moore was scheduled to remain in south Florida overnight while awaiting Saban’s decision on whether to accept the Crimson Tide’s vacant head football coaching position or to remain with the Dolphins.

That decision is expected Tuesday, sources close to the UA search process told The Tuscaloosa News. Those sources declined to speculate on whether Saban would accept the position or not.

Alabama offered Saban an eight-year package worth approximately $30 million, compensation that would make Saban the highest-paid coach in college football if he accepts the offer.

Moore flew from Tuscaloosa to Miami on Monday morning in order to meet with Saban. University President Dr. Robert Witt did not fly to Miami with Moore and attended the Crimson Tide’s home basketball game against Oklahoma on Monday afternoon.

Doplhins owner Wayne Huizenga reportedly talked with Saban about “improving (Saban’s) position” at Miami on Sunday, sources told The News. The sources did not say if that meant renegotiating the financial terms of Saban’s contract. Huizenga has reportedly been reluctant to pay Saban more than the $4.5 million annually that his current contract stipulates.

The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported on its website Monday that Huizenga flew to the Dolphins practice facility in his helicopter to visit with his coach.

Saban, who held his regularly scheduled season-ending press conference on Monday, said his talk with Huizenga was business as usual.

“I met with him and we meet quite often,” Saban said. “I don’t think there is anything that I’m willing to discuss right now. I think it’s organizational business - what the future of the team is, what we need to do, and some of the things that we are talking about right now. That’s what we talked about.”

Saban, as has been his practice in recent weeks, declined to answer direct questions concerning the Alabama job.

“I appreciate the courtesy of not having to talk about it at this time,” Saban said. “This press conference is about our football team and if there’s something new to report it will certainly get reported.

“I’m committed to doing my job well here because this is my job and that’s what I’ve been doing all day today and that’s what I will continue to do,” Saban added.

Jimmy Sexton, Saban’s Memphis-based agent, was unavailable for comment on Monday night although sources indicated that he was also in the Miami area on Monday night and took part in discussions with Moore.

Saban has clearly been Alabama’s top target for the past three weeks, if not longer. After West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez declined an offer from UA on December 8, Crimson Tide officials put the search for Mike Shula’s replacement on hold for more than three weeks until the Dolphins’ season reached a conclusion.

(Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil.hurt@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0225.)

[Stoney]

It would seem that he got it closest to being right.