Muschamp shifting roles at UGA with team suddenly down assistant coach, report says

A few days of preseason practices have elapsed and Georgia already faces a coaching change.

No, it’s not anything regarding head coach Kirby Smart. However, a big-time assistant has stepped away from the program. According to a report by The Athletic, special teams coach Scott Cochran has taken an indefinite leave of absence.

Georgia confirmed the news with a statement Sunday evening. Cochran’s timetable to return is unknown.

“Coach Cochran is currently dealing with health issues and is taking time to prioritize his mental health and well-being,” Smart said. “We fully support him as he takes this time to focus on his well-being.”

In the interim, according to a report from Dawgs247, Georgia will turn to former South Carolina coach and current Bulldog analyst Will Muschamp for an on-field role. It’s unclear in which capacity Muschamp will serve, but the longtime head coach became a quick favorite with the Bulldogs and could serve as an asset. He was hired by UGA as an analyst.

Georgia opens its season on Sept. 4 in Charlotte against Clemson.

“It’s very valuable to have a guy who has been a head coach at two places in our conference (Florida and South Carolina), because he knows the ins and outs,” Smart said of Muschamp in February, who’s son, Jackson, is a walk-on quarterback with the Bulldogs. “He’ll help in a lot of ways.”

Cochran held a lot of value within Georgia’s locker room. Until he returns, Smart has a veteran and close friend in his back pocket to fill the void.

Cochran came to Georgia prior to the 2020 season after spending a number of years coaching alongside Smart at Alabama. Cochran held the title of strength and conditioning coordinator with the Crimson Tide and was known as one of the premier off-field assistants in college football.

Cochran saw the Bulldogs’ job as a new beginning and an opportunity to coach in an on-field capacity, despite having little to no experience within the special teams’ unit. Cochran, after his hire, expressed his joy to plant new roots in Athens.

“Just happy to be a Dawg, baby,” Cochran said in a fiery, energetic closing to his 2020 press conference.

This story was originally published August 8, 2021 at 6:52 PM with the headline "Muschamp shifting roles at UGA with team suddenly down assistant coach, report says."