When it comes to the strength & conditioning aspect of the sport, Indiana football is stepping up with the big boys of college football.
Amidst speculation that had him connected to Alabama, it was confirmed earlier this month that David Ballou was leaving Indiana football for Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide’s Director of Sports Performance. Nearly two weeks later, the Hoosiers confirmed that Aaron Wellman has been hired as the program’s strength coach.
Officially, Wellman’s title at IU will be that of senior assistant athletic director for football performance.
“We strive to provide our student-athletes with the best in all aspects of our program and Aaron Wellman’s hire does just that,” Indiana football head coach Tom Allen said in a statement. “Bringing in his elite expertise is a game-changer. Aaron has worked at the highest levels in both college and professional football. We are excited for his arrival and believe he will take our strength and conditioning to another level.”
Wellman comes to Indiana football from the NFL, where he spent the past four seasons as the strength & conditioning coach for the New York Giants. The Indiana native also has previous strength coach experience in the Big Ten as he served at that capacity at Michigan from 2011-14.
This will also serve as an employment homecoming of sorts as Wellman began his career with Indiana football. From 1997-98, Wellman was a graduate assistant with the Hoosiers. From 1998-2001, he was the assistant strength & conditioning coach with the program.
“It’s exciting to be back at a University we love, and to work with a coaching staff and team we believe in,” Wellman said. “We’re anxious to get started.”
While it’s not yet been confirmed by the school, it’s reported that Indiana football will pay Wellman $700,000 annually as its strength coach. If that’s accurate, it would make Wellman the third-highest-paid strength coach in college football, behind only Ohio State’s Mickey Marotti ($801,150) and Iowa’s Chris Doyle ($800,000).
It should also be noted that Alabama has yet to announce Ballou’s salary with the Crimson Tide. The man Ballou replaced, Scott Cochran, earned $595,000 in 2019. Only four strength coaches last year made more than Cochran, who left for an on-field role at Georgia.