Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne kept as quiet as possible over the January two-day stretch in which he completed the search to replace Crimson Tide football legend Nick Saban with new coach Kalen DeBoer. Rumors swirled, but little was certain until Byrne coyly signaled the hire via social media. But for at least one person, the word was out before Byrne himself even knew who the choice would be.

Hallie Shephard, the wife of Alabama co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, apparently knew it all along.

"As soon as we heard the news that Nick Saban was retiring, my wife said 'Kalen DeBoer's going to be the head coach at Alabama'. My wife said that right away," Shephard said. "She said I think they're going to hire Kalen."

A couple days later, that's what happened. And Shephard was one of DeBoer's first hires to build his coaching staff. The Alabama hire rippled the lifestyles of assistant coaches from a new vacancy at Washington, and on from there. Sheppard said as a college coach, moving from place to place and having to uproot family often can be taxing.

"We say it in the coaching profession all the time. It's like going around in a circle, ring around-the-rosie," Shephard said. "Just have a chair when the music stops."

Shephard's music stopped at UA, where he's molded an improved receiving corps.

Meanwhile, someone should ask his wife who will win the Alabama-Georgia game.

Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.

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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Wife of Alabama football coach early to predict Kalen DeBoer hire