Alabama, Nick Saban lose secret weapon Scott Cochran to Georgia

The Alabama Crimson Tide lost its long-time strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran to the Georgia Bulldogs. This is a total game-changer in the SEC.

Did we just see the straw that broke the camel’s back?

Losing top-tier coordinators and assistant coaches to other jobs isn’t anything new for Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide. If you want proof, just look at the many Saban disciples who are trying to beat him leading their own SEC programs these days.

To date, no protegé has bested its master, but Kirby Smart might be the first to do it. His Georgia Bulldogs have delivered Alabama a devastating blow to the Crimson Tide football program by taking his long-time strength and conditioning coach, Scott Cochran, who has been with Saban at Alabama since he came to Tuscaloosa in 2007.

Cecil Hurts of the Tuscaloosa News was the first to report the news of Cochran leaving Alabama for Georgia. ESPN’s Chris Low was the first to report Cochran will be coaching special teams at Georgia.

During Saban’s dynastic run at Alabama, Cochran has been the one constant, as the program’s secret weapon. When Smart left Tuscaloosa to lead his alma mater in 2016, he tried to pry Cochran away from Saban. Lane Kiffin also tried to lure Cochran away from Alabama. Even though Smart was initially unsuccessful, his persistence was finally rewarded.

The Crimson Tide has won five national championships and been to five College Football Playoffs during the Saban era. Players have graduated and gone pro. Coaches have come and gone, yet Cochran’s passion for strength and conditioning and a relentless pursuit of perfection in crunch time has never faded.

He’s been so effective at Alabama, CBS even did a 60 Minutes profile on the first million-dollar strength coach.

Some of the quotes from Cochran’s profile are nothing short of staggering. Former Butkus winner and perennial Pro Bowler in the NFL, C.J. Mosley recounted one of Cochran’s intense workouts that helped transform him into the player he became.

“And I felt like I wanted to quit,” Mosley said. “Some players were giving up. Some players were throwing up. I made my way through it, but it was probably the longest practice I ever had. My freshman year, the most we did as a team was 32. No shade. All sun. 100-degree weather. It’s all about a mindset at Alabama. You either buy into the program or you don’t.”

Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron came to Alabama as an undersized recruit who could barely bench 200 pounds but left as an NFL prospect and college champion.

“I’m a kid that came in 175 pounds soaking wet, maybe benching 200 pounds and squatting 225,” he said. “Now I squat 600 and bench 375. The things he’s been able to help me with is unbelievable and he’s the best.”

The results don’t lie.

Since Smart arrived in Athens, Georgia has recruited on par with Alabama which is vital to being a perennial presence in the College Football Playoff conversation. One could argue Georgia is the best program of the playoff era that hasn’t won a national title yet. Alabama has been a perpetual thorn in Georgia’s side. Simply put, fourth-quarter execution is the gap separating Alabama and Georgia.

That’s what Cochran does best.

Should Georgia be able to tap into the strength and conditioning vein that made Alabama so special under Cochran, maybe Dawg Nation won’t have to obsess over 1980 anymore. It’s been their calling card for 40 years, but that could all change soon.

Georgia has to be ecstatic about this hiring and the Sept. 19 meeting between Alabama and Smart just took on a new bit of drama.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.