It appears Alabama football is on the verge of replacing Nick Saban’s longest-tenured lieutenants.
Monday, Georgia confirmed that it had poached Alabama football strength & conditioning coach Scott Cochran to take an on-field coaching role. Specifically, Cochran will serve as the Bulldogs’ special teams coordinator.
Saturday, it’s being reported that that Alabama has offered Indiana strength & conditioning coach David Ballou the same job with the Crimson Tide. At this point, there’s been no confirmation from either the Indiana or Alabama football programs.
Ballou has spent the past two seasons at Indiana. He also went to high school in the state and played his college football for the Hoosiers. After spending the first 14 seasons of his coaching career at his high school alma mater, Ballou took a job at Notre Dame in 2017. He spent one year with the Fighting Irish before returning to IU.
It’s also expected that Ballou will bring Dr. Matt Rhea, Indiana’s Athletic Performance Coach, along with him to Tuscaloosaa.
If the move comes to fruition, Ballou will certainly have sizable shoes to fill.
Cochran was on Saban’s staff for all six of his national titles, as he served as an assistant strength coach at LSU in 2003. Cochran has been in the same position with Alabama football since Saban took over as head coach in 2007.
Cochran is widely considered one of the top strength coaches in the sport. Not surprisingly, his pay reflects that. This past season, only four strength coaches earned more than Cochran’s $595,000.
Ballou, incidentally, was 15th at $400,000. That number placed him fifth in the Big Ten as well.