Former Alabama football assistant no longer with UGA

Alabama football’s former assistant is not currently with his new team

Over the Saban era, almost no one has been by his side longer than Scott Cochran. Cochran was known for his energy as the strength and conditioning coach, and Alabama football had some of the strongest teams in college football history.

Cochran surprised many when he took a job with Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs as the special teams coordinator. He stuck with Alabama football when Smart went to Georgia at first, but he inevitably took an on-the-field coaching role.

Reports now say that he is not currently with the team after one year in his new role. In a statement, Smart said that Cochran was “taking time to prioritize his mental health and well-being.”

Georgia had a solid special teams performance under Cochran last year. Georgia blocked multiple kicks and had one of the best punters in college football. Jake Camarda averaged 46.6 yards per punt. 

Georgia also had a solid kicker to replace Rodrigo Blankenship. Jack Podlesny was perfect on extra points and made 13 of 16 field goal attempts.

In his absence, Alabama football still had a solid strength and conditioning program. David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea were both hired to take over the program, and they worked together well in Tuscaloosa. Alabama now uses a more focused approach on both training and recovery, and each drill has a specific goal in mind. It lets the Tide get measured results without increasing the risk of injuries by overworking an athlete.

The opportunity for Cochran to return to Georgia is currently unknown. One can assume it depends on his ability to get healthy once again. Even though he is no longer an assistant under Nick Saban, the hope is that he can regain his mental health and have a full recovery.