Alabama has moved quickly in replacing longtime head strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran by reaching an agreement with Indiana‘s David Ballou, sources told ESPN.
Cochran, who had been Alabama’s strength coach under Nick Saban since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007, left last week to join Georgia’s staff in an on-the-field role and will coach the Bulldogs‘ special teams.
Ballou, who played fullback at Indiana, has been the director of athletic performance for the Indiana football team the past two seasons. Prior to joining the Indiana staff, Ballou was the Notre Dame co-director of strength and conditioning for the 2017 season and also had stops at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and Avon High School in Avon, Indiana. He was the head strength and conditioning coach at Avon High for 14 years.
Dr. Matt Rhea, Indiana’s athletic performance coach, is expected to join Ballou at Alabama, sources told ESPN.
Saban told ESPN last week that he planned to conduct a nationwide search for Cochran’s replacement and was confident that Alabama’s new sports science center, scheduled to open this fall, would help attract some of the top candidates in the country.
Ballou and Rhea will work closely with Alabama head athletic trainer Jeff Allen, who is the lone remaining football staff member that came with Saban to Alabama in 2007.
FootballScoop first reported Ballou’s hiring.