Alabama Reportedly Looking to the Big Ten for New Strength Coach to Replace Scott Cochran

College football teams need to do anything they can to get the edge on rival schools. That extends not just to players, but to staff as well. Alabama knows the feeling of losing assistants to rival schools all too well, and the latest departure, Scott Cochran leaving for Georgia, was a big blow for Nick Saban and Co.

According to a report from Sports Illustrated's Tom Brew, Alabama is now looking for Cochran's replacement and are targeting Indiana's strength and conditioning coach, David Ballou.

Alabama have reportedly offered Ballou the same job in Tuscaloosa, and while no official announcement has been made, it's expected he will take the job.

Cochran, who is leaving the team to join forces with his former comrade Kirby Smart in Georgia as their special teams coordinator, had spent 13 seasons at Alabama.

Ballou was a fullback for Indiana in the 1990s and has been on the program's coaching staff since 2018. Not only is Alabama picking up Ballou, but they're also expected to poach Indiana's athletic performance coach Dr. Matt Rhea.

In 2019 with Ballou and Rhea, the Hoosiers went 8-5 and had 11 players earn All-Big Ten honors. They also got to the Gator Bowl, where they lost to Tennessee by one point. If the pair do end up joining the Tide in Tuscaloosa, it'd be a significant blow for Indiana.