LSU's Saban meets with Dolphins for 'preliminary conversation'

Within hours of Dave Wannstedt's resignation last month, LSU coach Nick Saban tried to quell inevitable speculation by releasing a statement saying he's not interested in any other jobs.

The Miami Dolphins hope he'll change his mind.

Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga and president Eddie Jones met with Saban in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday night, in what both sides called "a preliminary conversation" about the team's search for a coach.

Saban was not offered the job, and it wasn't immediately clear Wednesday if any more meetings between the sides were scheduled.

"No decisions were made in this meeting and they will continue their search for a coach," said Saban, who's in the first year of an $18.45-million, seven-year contract with the school. "I will continue to be committed to LSU, our football program and totally focused on our bowl game versus Iowa."

LSU (9-2) meets Iowa (9-2) on Jan. 1 in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

Nick Saban has built LSU into a national power, going 48-15 in five seasons. (AP)

Asked if he expected to coach the Tigers in the bowl game, Saban said, "Absolutely. I'm committed to being the coach here. I'm happy being the coach here."

But Saban acknowledged that opportunities must be weighed.

"I have a great commitment to LSU, a great love for this institution, all that we've been able to accomplish here and the great support that so many people have given us," Saban said Wednesday night after LSU's first bowl game practice. "But I also have a responsibility and an obligation to be able to think through some things at a very busy time of year."

The overtures between Saban and the Dolphins have been expected for weeks, since Wannstedt resigned last month after Miami's 1-8 start.

Jones -- an LSU graduate -- did not divulge specific details on the meeting and, like Saban, stressed that no choices have been made.

"In keeping with our policy to conduct this search with integrity, prior to speaking with Coach Saban we did contact LSU interim chancellor William L. Jenkins to inform him of our meeting," Jones said in a statement released by the team.

Calls placed to Huizenga's office were not returned.