The Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama is set to hire Mike Shula as its football coach, possibly as early as today, according to several reports.

The Birmingham News, ESPN Radio and The Miami Herald all reported that Alabama has settled on the former Crimson Tide quarterback and current Miami Dolphins assistant.

The 37-year-old Shula has been an NFL assistant for 15 years, including two stops each in Miami and Tampa Bay. He has no head coaching experience.

Shula's father Don was the winningest NFL coach while his brother Dave had a miserable record as coach of the Bengals.

Alabama fired Mike Price on Saturday after the first-year coach, already warned about his behavior, spent hundreds of dollars at a Pensacola, Fla., topless bar. A woman reportedly ordered about $1,000 in food from room service sent to his hotel room the following morning. An attorney for Price told the Birmingham newspaper that he's considering appealing the termination.

Alabama players left a meeting with university president Robert Witt and athletic director Mal Moore on Wednesday confident that they would have a new coach by the weekend - and that he'd have worn the crimson and white jersey.

"They said we'd know something by Saturday - definitely," Justin Smiley said.

Sylvester Croom and Richard Williamson - also former Tide players - were the only others to have interviewed for the job. Witt and Moore didn't meet with any candidates Tuesday or Wednesday.

Asked about the search after the meeting, Witt would only say, "We're optimistic we'll be able to make a decision relatively soon."

He and Moore planned to hold a teleconference with reporters today. The school's final exams conclude Friday.

Croom told the Birmingham newspaper on Wednesday that he had not received word of a decision but would support whatever decision was made by the university.

Smiley said he got the feeling the Tide officials knew who they wanted to replace Price.

"It sounds like they've pretty much got it narrowed down," Smiley said. "They've just got to work out the legal factors, because they said, 'Him."'

Moore's previous two hires - Price and Dennis Franchione - had no previous Alabama ties. Smiley is happy that it appears that will change with the next coach.

"I like the idea of somebody who's been here and done that and bled crimson," Smiley said. "Somebody who's got some love for this university that these last two guys really haven't had when you come down to it."

Shula passed for 3,881 yards and 33 touchdowns as a three-year starter at Alabama from 1984-86 and was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection.

Clint Johnston said it boils down to loyalty for the team, not where the candidates went to school.

"As players, we're not so much focused on getting somebody in here that's played here, but somebody in here that just wants to be here," Johnson said.

The players are hoping to have a new coach before they return from the semester break - if not before they leave.

"When we get back it's time to go to work, no matter whose name's on the plate on that front," Johnston said.

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