Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who has emerged as a serious contender for the Auburn head coaching job, has spent eight of the past nine seasons coaching in the SEC.

Auburnundercover.com, which was among the first websites to report Monday that Smart was scheduled to interview with Auburn, said today that the job had not been offered to anyone but a decision could be announced Wednesday. Another website, al.com, reported that Smart was a leading candidate.

Auburnundercover.com said Smart and Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn appeared to be leading contenders and that the search committee had conducted a telephone interview Monday with former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, who did not appear to be receiving strong consideration.

Smart has been on the Alabama staff all six seasons Nick Saban has been head coach (2007-12), the past five as defensive coordinator. Smart also was an assistant to Saban in 2004 at LSU and in 2006 with the Miami Dolphins. Smart worked as running backs coach at Georgia, his alma mater, in 2005.

Smart is the 2009 Broyles Award winner as the nation's top assistant coach.

Under Smart's tutelage, the 2011 Alabama defense led the nation in total defense (183.6 ypg), scoring defense (8.2 ppg), rushing defense (72.2 ypg) and passing defense (111.5 ypg).

In 2009, the Alabama defense led the SEC and ranked second nationally in scoring defense (11.7 ppg), pass efficiency defense (87.7), rush defense (78.1 ypg) and total defense (244.1 ypg).

Smart was an administrative assistant on the Georgia staff in 1999. He was a graduate assistant at Florida State in 2002-03 after spending the previous two years at Valdosta State where he was defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (2001) and defensive backs (2000).

As a player, Smart was a four-year lettermen at defensive back for Georgia, where he was a first-team All-SEC pick as a senior. He finished his career with 13 interceptions and led the Bulldogs with six interceptions in 1997 and five as a senior in 1998. A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Smart earned his undergraduate degree in finance from Georgia and his master's degree from Florida State in 2003.

Smart is a native of Bainbridge, Ga.