Alabama Hires David Ballou as New Strength and Conditioning Coach

[BamaFlum]

This will show how much the players really want it. Being on your own for strength and conditioning will separate those with the drive from those who say they want to do well but don’t have the self motivation to continue the grind. Seeing Najee makes me hope we have more of the former than the latter.

 

[DogPatch]

Another great tweet from Coach Ballou.
Ballou tweet

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1263624651655327746

 

[dvldog]

I guess the theory is you get faster when both legs are the same length. Who knew.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Putting on crimson-colored glasses here...I'm hopeful that Rhea and Ballou's approach will handle the issues created by the lockdown better than most.

Their minds just work differently from other S&C coaches, and they're used to thinking in new and innovative ways. So I'm optimistic that they'll be better equipped to tackle a situation that nobody has ever faced before.

Also, we need to anticipate that not every player has been diligent on workouts and nutrition during 100 days or so without direct supervision.

There will be some great examples of leadership on this front -- Najee's workout video certainly looks like he's created a way, and Mac Jones' work ethic is off the charts. But I can think of a few players that have trouble pushing away from the table even when on campus in the middle of all that support structure. Without it.....you can't help but be a bit apprehensive.

Point being, I think Rhea and Ballou will be better equipped to deal with greater-than-normal variation in the range of fitness, and better able to tailor programs to help the less diligent guys get caught up.

Guessing that the June 8 "voluntary" use of facilities won't be optional at all. A former coach once said that off season workouts were voluntary....so was standing with him on the sideline during games.

 

[rtrbama1]

Here's the full webinar from Dr. Rhea last week...VERY interesting IMO: https://1080motion.com/webinar/over...submission=done&usercanwatch=0DWBA1AOWC9EYQ4A

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Here's the full webinar from Dr. Rhea last week...VERY interesting IMO: https://1080motion.com/webinar/over...submission=done&usercanwatch=0DWBA1AOWC9EYQ4A

I watched about 15-20 minutes of the webinar, and it's an entirely different way of approaching the development of an S&C program. I'm sure Saban loved the process-oriented system that Rhea talked about -- he actually said the process of searching for answers is more important than the answers themselves....exactly parallel to Saban's mantra that the process is more important than the immediate result.

Rhea also takes a subtle swipe at the S&C industry, essentially saying that it has viewed the data-based, research-based approach as just so much pointy-headed academia, and that he hopes the rest of college football continues to do that.

The more I see from Rhea and Ballou, the more I think Scott Cochran leaving might have been the best thing to happen to us in a while.

 

[TiderJack]

The more I see from Rhea and Ballou, the more I think Scott Cochran leaving might have been the best thing to happen to us in a while.

And the more I think about it Saban may have told Cochran to look for something else.

 

[bamaslammer]

I would be shocked if all our players show up in shape. Especially with most public gym's being closed many had no access to equipment. My guess is that nationwide there will be issues that show up on the field this year. Alabama more or less lost their season to injury last year and I think you'll see contender programs decimated by injury this year as well. I hope by some freak of luck ours ran out of bad luck last year.

Having said all that, It does seem that Cochran's approach being so much about Cochran and his personality it would not have translated well to remote management.

 

[DogPatch]

I would be shocked if all our players show up in shape. Especially with most public gym's being closed many had no access to equipment. My guess is that nationwide there will be issues that show up on the field this year. Alabama more or less lost their season to injury last year and I think you'll see contender programs decimated by injury this year as well. I hope by some freak of luck ours ran out of bad luck last year.

Having said all that, It does seem that Cochran's approach being so much about Cochran and his personality it would not have translated well to remote management.

I like our new staff approach of injury preventing a a focus.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

And the more I think about it Saban may have told Cochran to look for something else.

I think Saban knew he wanted to go in direction few years ago. Gotta remember Cochran is set in his own ways. He had an opportunity to go in new direction, by working with Jeff Allen.

Here's the link to the article: https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/...ott-cochran-to-leave-alabama-for-georgia.html

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Saban, meanwhile, had concerns about numbers and results from a strength and conditioning standpoint and wanted tweaks made to the program. Sources said Saban began “riding Cochran mercilessly in front of staff."

Contrary to a narrative that’s begun to emerge in light of Cochran taking a pay cut to go to Georgia, Saban didn’t force Cochran out.

“Saban really wanting him out is so not true,” one source said. “At all.”

He was willing to help Cochran, and he was trying to get Cochran to take new approach to S &C and he just lost interest in it.

 

[TiderJack]

I think Saban knew he wanted to go in direction few years ago. Gotta remember Cochran is set in his own ways. He had an opportunity to go in new direction, by working with Jeff Allen.

Here's the link to the article: https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/...ott-cochran-to-leave-alabama-for-georgia.html

I saw this article when it first came out. I did not see anything in this article or have heard that Saban wanted to go in a different direction a few years ago. Glad it happened but it appears it came to light fairly recently and seemed to be somewhat based on Cochran wanting to be an on-field coach.

 

[DogPatch]

From the SI article

Even though Ballou and Rhea were very happy at Indiana, they did sit down in January and made a short list of schools they would consider leaving Indiana for.

I'd love to see that list.

 

[The Ols]

From the SI article


I'd love to see that list.

I bet you could come up with it...Bama,tOSU,Auburn w/a lake, UGAly, and The Who’s...maybe a few more, but I’d bet I’m not far off...

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

From the SI article


I'd love to see that list.

I doubt it included uga...

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I've seen several tweets and other references to (1) the S&C workouts are different from in the past, and (2) the players love it. But I haven't seen any specifics.

Any material out there as to what's different, or why the players like them?

 

[DogPatch]

Any material out there as to what's different, or why the players like them?

Not that I can find, and I've scoured the world wide web.

The little bit I've seen seems to indicate the intensity has increased a notch or three or five.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Not that I can find, and I've scoured the world wide web.

The little bit I've seen seems to indicate the intensity has increased a notch or three or five.

Interesting. If true, that would indicate that an over-the-top screaming personality doesn’t necessarily lead to intense S&C.

Maybe calmer, more tailored waters really do run deeper.

Please understand...I’m not saying Cochran wasn’t a major contributor to our success. And it will take time to replace what has been described as his “father confessor” role.

But maybe he’s not as irreplaceable as many of us (including me) first thought. Looking in the mirror and at you, Kirk Herbstreit.

 

[DogPatch]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1274038602545221633

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Old school is making all of the players do the same thing. Expecting the same from 300 lb linemen as you do 195 lb skill guys just doesn't work.

Our new S&C Staff tailors the workouts to the individual players. The big dudes get their workouts a bit differently from the smaller dudes..