Miami ? The decline of the Miami Dolphins, once a playoff perennial but lately an NFL laughingstock, failed to deter Nick Saban.

The LSU coach decided to join Miami because he believes he can turn around a losing team. After all, he did it with Michigan State and LSU.

“We’ve never ever taken over successful programs,” said Saban, who accepted the Miami job Saturday. “We’ve taken challenges that were difficult, worked hard and had an effect in a positive way.”

Saban will take over in Miami after coaching LSU in its bowl game Jan. 1 at Orlando against Iowa. The following day, the Dolphins conclude their worst season since the 1960s, and their first losing season since 1988.

Saban helped upgrade the Cleveland Browns in 1991-1994 as an assistant to Bill Belichick, now his AFC East rival with the New England Patriots.

Then, as a head coach, Saban turned around losing programs at East Lansing and Baton Rouge.

Now he’ll try to improve a Miami team that went to 4-11. with a victory Sunday over Cleveland.

“We most certainly want to have success in an organization that has been rich in tradition and success in the past,” Saban said. “(We’re) going to work extremely hard to try to restore that success.”

Saban said the team was taking his departure well.

“At some point in everyone’s life, they have to make some kind of career decision that affects other people, and that’s how I explained it to them,” Saban said.

By reaching the deal with Saban — a five-year agreement worth at least $4.5 million per year — owner Wayne Huizenga capped his best week of the year. Monday, the Dolphins stunned Super Bowl champion New England, and five days later Huizenga landed the coach he had wanted ever since Dave Wannstedt resigned last month when Miami was 1-8.