Alabama head coach Nick Saban doesn't go into much detail when discussing potential career moves for his assistant coaches but his wife Terry gave some interesting insight into defensive coordinator Kirby Smart's conversations with Auburn during their coaching search.

In an interview with Smashmouth Radio on 97.3 The Zone, Terry Saban said that she offered support to Smart and his wife during their discussions with Auburn and said that both she and Nick gave their full support to the long-time assistant.

"I emailed both he and Mary Beth and wished them well and said they would always be loved," she said.

"He's like a baby to us, like a son," Terry said of Smart. "We've had similar relationships with Will Muschamp, Jimbo Fisher, Derek Dooley, Todd Grantham. They've been with us, they've done a great job. Nick's philosophy has always been that when people work hard for you and they've done a great job, they certainly deserve an opportunity.

"Nick has always felt that if it's a great opportunity and a good fit, he will promote our coaches, he will give them great recommendations and help them move on even if it means we have to meet them across the field."

Terry acknowledged that being an assistant coach at Alabama can be a difficult and thankless job, particularly considering the high expectations the program now faces on an annual basis.

"I think he's being generous when he says he celebrates for 24 hours. When you work hard and turn a program around, that part is so much fun, seeing it grow by leaps and bounds. And then when you get it to the point where you're truly competitive and you're doing a lot of things the right way, a victory doesn't feel quite as happy, as joyous. It's more of a relief because the expectations are so high. That's unfortunate, I've seen it happen in so many programs in history. I probably feel a little more joy than the coaching staff and I think the players do too because it's new to them."

As for Smart's potential future at Alabama, Terry said her husband would never presume that he could choose his successor at Alabama but that they both feel Smart would be capable of stepping into the job when the time comes.

"I can tell you that Nick would never presume that he had that kind of power. He respects our administration. He may have an opinion. Could Kirby do the job and would we think he'd be a great fit? Yes of course. We believe that he'd be a great fit and would be able to move right in."

When it comes to Saban's future at Alabama, Terry reiterated what her husband has said previously, insisting that the Sabans intend on making Tuscaloosa their final stop.

"At the end of every season there's always so much gossip. We're very comfortable here. We love it here, it's a great fit for our family. As far as I'm concerned, this is where we'll retire someday. As far as jobs go, this is it for us."