Scott Cochran Joins Ryan Fowler

Former Alabama and Georgia strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran is the newest head coach of the University of West Alabama Tigers. UWA, a Division II football program, features several prominent former Crimson Tide stars on the coaching and administrative staff, including Blake Sims, Damion Square, and OJ howard, among others.

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Cochran hopes that by utilizing former Alabama players, who have claimed SEC and national championships during their time with the Tide, he can bring a championship pedigree to the Tigers.

UWA had seven players named to the Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Team. Two offensive linemen, two defensive backs, a running back, a wide receiver, and a kicker.

There's gonna be a lot of new, a lot of new things at West Alabama," Cochran told Ryan Fowler on Friday. "We got a brand new head coach, a lot of brand new coaches, um, and a lot of players that have never played before, so that have started for us before.

"So we're gonna be a young team. We're gonna go through some bumps and bruises, but I'm bringing back a really good quarterback from last year. A really good center. Some really good running backs. Uh. A wide receiver. And then, uh, defense might be bringing back a couple of linebackers from last year."

Cochran helped build a winning culture at Alabama, following head coach Nick Saban once Saban was hired at Alabama, then following Kirby Smart a couple of years after he left for Georgia. In total, Cochran has won eight national championships while coaching for Saban and Smart, so he knows how to bring the heat and instill a winning culture in a new program.

" You know, I think, uh, you know, when it comes to the culture, it just, it has to be important, right? If it's important to the head coach, it's important to the rest of the team," Cochran said. "It's important to the coaches, it's important to the players. And obviously, it's the most important thing to me is your culture. And, and really that's what it's all about. You know, in any business, in any organization, you know, the culture has to be exactly the way the head coach or the CEO wants.

Cochran also talked about his coaching staff, whom he joked that Alabama fans might know a few.

"So the first one that I hired was Damion Square to be my D-line coach. Then I hired Thomas Fletcher, who was a deep snapper for us at Alabama, to be my special teams coordinator and to work with the tight ends. Then I hired Blake Sims as my wide receiver coach, Ronnie Clark as my running back coach, uh, OJ Howard as my player development.

" Bo Scarbrough as high school relations. I know I'm missing somebody. Reggie Ragland, assistant director of player development, Reggie Ragland. And I have a feeling, I have a feeling that a few more are about to show up, that told me that they would be here for camp.

"So I have a feeling. That Monday, I'm gonna walk in my office and it must be somebody like Reuben Foster or Chance Warmack and DJ Fluker. I just have a feeling they're gonna show up."

The gang is getting back together in Livingston, Alabama. Cochran said that fall camp would start on Monday.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.