While LSU coach Nick Saban insists he "absolutely" intends to coach the Tigers in the Capital One Bowl, it's hard to ignore the shadows following his every move.

Sometime this week, Saban is expected to find out whether or not he will be offered a chance to coach the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Several media reports consider the waiting period for an offer a mere formality while the Dolphins appease NFL rules by interviewing other candidates, but Saban is playing as coy as he can.

"I don't have a timetable for it. I don't know what their timetable is. I can't control that," Saban said.

Last week Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga and team president Eddie Jones flew to Baton Rouge for a meeting Saban called a "preliminary conversation."

Saban also interviewed for the Chicago Bears' head coaching job last year but pulled his name from consideration less than 24 hours later. The Dolphins are not only expected to offer more money but more power and control over personnel decisions, but Saban indicated he is still waiting for a firm job definition.

"I just think that in all the other cases, the parameters were defined, and I could make a decision based on those parameters. That has not happened," Saban said. "Even though the public knows more about this situation, this is much more of a premature stage when everybody found about it.

"So in the meantime, they're going through the process of the things that they need to do. And we'll make a decision as soon as we get the parameters for what the job basically entails."

Either way, Saban plans to keep pushing forward to prepare the Tigers (9-2) for the Capital One Bowl against Iowa on New Year's Day.

"I'm committed to being the coach here," Saban said. "I'm happy being the coach here. I'm appreciative and have a lot of gratitude for having the opportunity to be the coach here."

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