Scott Cochran still motivating Kirby Smart, Georgia football players
Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’s player representatives were asked nearly every question imaginable during Wednesday’s portion of SEC Media Days. For Kirby Smart and Nolan Smith, these questions included Georgia assistant coach Scott Cochran’s relationship with the team following his inspiring post on Instagram earlier this month.
On July 4th, Cochran posted the following picture on his page, followed by the caption, “Proud to be 1 year sober. This one means a lil more than the rings.”
On August 8th, during the 2021 preseason, Kirby Smart announced that Cochran left the program to “prioritize his mental health and well-being.”
Smart cited “health issues” as the reasoning for it, stating that he and the Bulldogs’ coaching staff “fully support him as he takes this time to focus on his well-being.”
In his absence, Will Muschamp took on an on-field position for the Dawgs, emerging as a very important piece of the Bulldogs’ 2021 Championship run.
Cochran officially joined back with the Georgia coaching staff full-time on October 19th last season.
During Smart’s time at the podium during SEC Media Days, one reporter asked Kirby Smart about what Cochran meant to the Georgia program and the Bulldogs’ coaching staff.
“We commit to having conversations. The commitment to Scott was that he’s committed to our program and getting better. You look at what he’s done with our players. We got a lot of exceptional people in our organization, Jonas Jennings, Bryant Gantt, Scott Sinclair. I could go on forever,” Smart said.
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“Scott Cochran spends a tremendous amount of time with our players on a personal level. They value the relationship that he creates with them. He spends time with them, meaningful time with them. I think a lot of our players saw the human side with Scott, that we all know addiction is real. It probably affected me as the leader of the organization for the first time, to have someone on your staff be involved with that. I got a lot of help from outside sources on how to do it.”
Kirby Smart reflected on the other side of Scott Cochran’s commitment to sobriety
“I’m so proud of what he’s done, and how he’s fought back to bring himself back and be the husband and father that he’s always been. He’s a tremendous husband and father. That’s first. He’s a mentor to the players on our team. He’s got tons of players that played at Alabama that still reach out to him and talk to him,” Smart said.
“They come and work out at our place and see him because they value that relationship that he had with them. He’s a special person that’s meant a lot to a lot of people. We’ve stood there by him and supported him, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Whether it was from his time as the Strength and Conditioning coach at Alabama, or his time as the Special Teams coordinator for the Bulldogs. People know Cochran for the energy that he brings to those around them.
In fact, the only Bulldog that may rival the energy that Cochran brings to the team is senior outside linebacker Nolan Smith
Smith spoke about what Cochran means to him and his teammates at SEC Media Days.
“I love coach Cochran. He’s a hundred percent the glue. And I think as far as men that can put their egos to the side, talk about Coach Cochran. He puts his ego to the side every day. Comes in and works and makes people better despite what he’s been through.”
