IU Strength and Conditioning Coach David Ballou is Heading to Alabama

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David Ballou Warming up the hoosiers for the Taxslayer Gator Bowl on jan. 2, 2020. (Image: Amanda Pavelka/hoosier huddle)

David Ballou Warming up the hoosiers for the Taxslayer Gator Bowl on jan. 2, 2020. (Image: Amanda Pavelka/hoosier huddle)

Written by Amanda Pavelka (@amandapavelka3)

It was confirmed Sunday in an article from Football Scoop that Indiana strength and conditioning Coach David Ballou would depart the Indiana football program after two years, following his weekend interview with Nick Saban and the Alabama football program. 

Ballou was a fullback for the Hoosiers in the late 1990s and has since taken his passion for football and the weight room to exponential new heights. Since graduating from IU with a Bachelors degree in kinesiology, Ballou has helped develop 80 NCAA Division I athletes and trained 31 NFL draft picks, including Washington Redskins OG Wes Martin, a fourth round draft pick in 2019. Since his return to IU in 2018, Ballou assisted in developing Simon Stepaniak, who came in at No. 2 OL in bench press with 37 reps he busted out at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. 

Ballou took the call in an urgent need to fill the hole left by Scott Cochran, who served as Alabama’s strength and coach since 2007 until he decided to leave the weight room last week. Cochran, who has been on staff for all six of Saban’s national titles, announced he would be taking special teams coordinator position at Georgia. Cochran was the fifth highest-paid college football strength coach last year with a $595,000 guarantee, according to USA Today. In comparison, Ballou’s 2019 salary was $400,000 (15th in the nation). 

Dr. Matt Rhea will be joining Ballou in Tuscaloosa. The highly sought-after duo has played a pivotal role in the recent nationally-recognized upsurge of the Indiana football program. Ballou and Rhea have been key in the Hoosiers’ success this past season where they had eight wins for the first time since 1993, and the first Florida bowl game in program history. Their obvious expertise and proven results have attracted the best recruiting class and recruits in the history of the IU football program. 

Allen and the staff will begin the search to fill the rather large holes left by Ballou and Rhea while they prepare for spring football practices that start this upcoming Saturday, March 7.