Scott Cochran no longer on Georgia football staff

Scott Cochran no longer on Georgia football staff

Scott Cochran is no longer a member of the football staff at Georgia, school officials confirmed Wednesday.

The popular former Alabama strength & conditioning coach joined long-time friend Kirby Smart’s staff as special teams coordinator in 2020. He worked in various capacities with the Bulldogs the last four seasons, helping them win two national championships.

Rivals.com reported Wednesday that Cochran’s office inside the Georgia football building was empty. The Georgia athletics department issued a brief statement saying that Cochran and offensive analyst Darrell Dickey had left the staff to “pursue other opportunities,” with analyst Kirk Benedict promoted to special teams coordinator.

The 44-year-old Cochran was part of Nick Saban’s original staff as head strength coach at Alabama in 2007, and stayed with the Crimson Tide through the 2019 season. His outsized persona made him a favorite among fans and players alike, and many regarded him as the second-most-important person to Alabama’s success after Saban during a time in which the Crimson Tide won five national championships.

Cochran battled addiction during his time at Georgia, and took leave from the team prior to the 2021 season to enter rehab. He posted on social media this past July that he was celebrating two years of sobriety.

Prior to his time at Alabama, Cochran worked on the strength staff under Saban at LSU (his alma mater) from 2001-04 (winning the first of his eight national championship rings in 2003). He then spent two years in his home town with the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets.