Longtime Saban Assistant Hired as West Alabama Head Coach

Former Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran gets his first collegiate head coaching job less than an hour from the Alabama campus.

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide assistant coach Scott Cochran leads the team during warm-up drill prior to facing the Florida Gators in the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For years, his voice was synonymous with Alabama home football games as pre-recorded videos played on the Bryant-Denny Stadium jumbotrons to get the crowd up on their feet. And now, Scott Cochran will get the chance to lead his own program at West Alabama. The school announced his hiring on Monday afternoon.

"I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the University of West Alabama football program as head coach," Cochran said in a press release. "UWA has a rich tradition of athletic excellence, and I look forward to working with our talented student-athletes, dedicated staff, and passionate community to continue that legacy. Together, we will strive for greatness and make our supporters proud.

"My own personal struggles have given me a unique perspective that allows me to expertly develop players and prepare them to go to the next level. I get to know players better than they know themselves, and I feel that I have something to give back through head coaching. This is more than just a job for me; it's a calling to help young men grow both on and off the field."

Cochran served as a graduate assistant and then assistant strength and conditioning coach for Nick Saban at LSU in the early 2000s before becoming a part of Saban's first Alabama staff in 2007 as the main strength and conditioning coach. He held that role with the Crimson Tide until 2019, and then he joined Kirby Smart at Georgia from 2020-2023 to serve as special teams coordinator. Throughout his time at LSU, Alabama and Georgia, Cochran was part of eight national championship teams.

He resigned from the Georgia coaching staff in Feb. 2024 and has since been promoting addiction recovery and sharing his personal story with addiction around the country.

Cochran's introductory press conference at UWA will be Friday at 10 a.m.

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