Mike Price's future as football coach at Alabama was in the hands of the school's president Saturday.

About 100 people, half fans and half media, gathered in a room at the Bryant Conference Center and heard emotional pleas from players and Price's sons as trustees started a meeting called by university president Robert Witt.

Witt was to give the trustees' athletic committee his recommendation on whether Price should be punished for his behavior on a trip to Florida last month for a pro-am golf tournament. When the meeting ended, trustee Angus Cooper said Witt would announce his decision at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Price -- yet to coach the Crimson Tide in a game -- and his wife arrived shortly before the meeting began, but Price did not meet with the trustees. Cooper said Witt "listened to what we had to say, and we listened to what he had to say.''

Citing sources close to the Alabama administration, The Tuscaloosa News reported Saturday that Witt was in favor of dismissing Price. While the coach would have support from some board members, it might not be enough to sway Witt's decision. And it will have to come down to a decision from the administration. The New York Times reported Saturday that Price has no plans to resign. "The idea of resigning never crossed his mind," Mac Bledsoe, the father of Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe and one of Price's close friends, told The Times. "He's ready to go out and coach football."

According to news reports, Price paid for private dances at a topless bar and, the next morning, a woman ordered about $1,000 of room service and charged it to Price's hotel bill.

The school's investigation also could be expanded to include accusations that Price bought drinks for students, The Tuscaloosa News reported Friday.

Before trustees went behind closed doors, pleas were made to retain Price.

"Everybody makes mistakes,'' quarterback Brodie Croyle said. "You can rest assured it won't happen again. ... He is sorry for what he did, and please, have mercy.''

Prices' sons, Eric and Aaron, assistants on the Alabama coaching staff, spoke on behalf of their father.

"In his 57 years, there's been one moment in his life he didn't act appropriately,'' Aaron Price said. He added that his father has taught "character and class'' throughout his life and deserves "a second chance.''

Culpepper Clark, dean of Alabama's college of communication, reminded the board that the university is bigger than one person and that its president has one overriding mission -- "to protect the reputation of the University of Alabama.''

The 57-year-old Price has declined to comment about the details of the reports. Six players met with the coach in his office Thursday and expressed support for him.

"We had more fun playing football this spring than I have since I've been here,'' Croyle said Friday. "Everybody on this team feels the exact same way we do. We all want him here.

Price agreed to a seven-year contract worth $10 million after leaving Washington State in December, but he hasn't signed the deal. It has a clause saying he can be fired for any behavior "that brings (the) employee into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, or ridicule or that reflects unfavorably upon the reputation or the high moral or ethical standards of the University.''

Price expressed lofty ambitions upon his hire after leading Washington State to its second Rose Bowl of his 14-year tenure.

"I want to be the second-best coach in the history of Alabama football,'' he said. "If I could do that, I think that would be wonderful.

"It probably isn't going to be done the way Papa did it, the way Coach Bryant did it. It's going to be the way I do it. To walk on the same sidelines that he walked is a huge honor.''

The university hired Witt in late January from Texas-Arlington.

If Price loses the job, there would be little time for a new coach to put in his system and assemble a staff. Price has two sons on the Alabama staff: offensive coordinator Eric and quarterbacks and kickers coach Aaron.

Price also has two assistants with head coaching experience: Defensive coordinator Joe Kines was head coach at Arkansas in 1992, and tight ends coach Sparky Woods had head coaching stints at South Carolina (1989-1993) and Appalachian State (1983-88).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.