Scott Cochran is a legendary strength and conditioning coach thanks to his time with the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs. However, he has since stepped away from college football.
Like many people, Cochran has battled opioid addiction since his time at Alabama. He opened up about that addiction and what led to him seeking recovery during an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show.
“I started getting these headaches,” Scott Cochran said. “These really crazy headaches. So, I went to the docs and said, ‘Hey, can you help me?’ They tried many things and down the road, they put me on Oxycodone. Man, that saved me, which is crazy to say now, but it allowed me to do my job without having these crushing headaches. It was — I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think there was a problem with it. This was about 2010-2011.”
Unfortunately for Cochran, he then ran into a problem that many people who face addiction do. Those prescription drugs became something he relied on and he needed them more and more. That’s when he decided to try and fix the problem himself by leaving Alabama for Georgia.
“Then, as it got going, I noticed I needed more. The scripts weren’t lasting. Then, I started abusing them. I started getting them from the street. So, I kind of had enough,” Cochran said.
“In 2020, and this is very normal for addiction. People in recovery will tell you this all the time… It says change your geographical location, change of job, it doesn’t fix the problem. Well, in 2020, I thought that would fix the problem. I thought, okay, I’m gonna leave strength and conditioning. I’m gonna call my good friend, Kirby Smart, and I’m gonna say ‘Let me do special teams for you.’ So, he hired me. I’m thinking, I’m leaving Tuscaloosa, I can leave my drug habit behind and I won’t have to worry about it ever again.”
Shortly after getting to Georgia, Scott Cochran nearly died of his addiction thanks to an overdose. That led to him entering rehab for the first time.
“Well, April 10th, 2020, I overdosed. My wife found me upstairs on a Zoom. She thought I had a stroke. She didn’t know what was going on. Called 911. By the time I came to, I was in the hospital. Now, this is 2020. COVID is going on. So, I can hide it. I can go to rehab. I don’t tell anybody about myself going to rehab. It’s just my wife and I trying to figure this out. So, I go to Chris Herren’s place in Massachusetts. Chris Herren is the guy who played for the Celtics. So, I went to his place and lasted 30 days, and ‘Oh, I’ve got this thing licked. I won’t ever have to pick up again.’ COVID lifts. We go back to campus and I’m right back where I started. I couldn’t knock it and no one knew. Just my wife and I.”
Unfortunately, for Scott Cochran, he was still battling his addiction to opioids at Georgia once he returned from rehab. That’s when, with the support from Kirby Smart, he returned to rehab and was able to stay sober for a time.
“So, I have this crazy addiction that’s been going on since 2010 and my wife finally finds out by finding me basically dead on the ground. Now, let’s go back to work. So, through the 2020 season. Then, in 2021, June of 2021, I was done. I surrendered. I asked for all the help I could get. God, help me get through this,” Cochran said.
“So, I went back to rehab. This time I went for an extended stay. I went for about 100 days. So, I felt really strong coming out. The season had started. Kirby was awesome to me. Took care of me. Said, ‘Your job will be here when you get back. Take your time.’ And I did. I took all 100 days. I stayed sober for about two and a half years. Won two national championships. That was pretty cool.”
During the 2023 season, Scott Cochran once again struggled with his addiction. That’s when he decided to make a change and step away from coaching while returning to get more care.
“But, toward the middle of last year, 2023, I started to battle again. I slipped and my wife and I decided it’s time to take a different route.”
Scott Cochran on his new mission
During his time in outpatient care, Scott Cochran believes his life was saved by the Commencement Center in Athens. That experience, along with meeting Jeff Breedlove, helped give Cochran a new mission in life to end the stigma around addiction and help others who are in need.
“So, I went to a local place called the Commencement Center. It’s an outpatient place and they saved my life. Incredible group of people over there. Did an outpatient program. So, I went to go speak at a recovery place. Somebody asked me to speak. I met a guy named Jeff Breedlove. Jeff Breedlove is the founder AARA. Him and I started talking,” Cochran said.
“Now, I have a new initiative. Now I have a new drive. I’m really excited about it. We’ve already done some great things but the biggest is to eliminate the stigma. I’m grateful you’re having me on today because I want people to know, when you think of someone who struggles with addiction, the first thing you do is you whisper, ‘Hey, I’ve got a family member,’ and that’s why everything we’re about is eliminate that whisper. You see me, a very successful coach…addiction happened to me, and throughout the whole process, I was battling through it. So, now I have a new mission. I’m excited.”
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