After Nick Saban and maybe Tua Tagovailoa, you could make the case that the most popular figure around Alabama football these days is Scott Cochran.

The Crimson Tide's head strength & conditioning coach is ubiquitous at practices and on game day, yelling out motivational mantras to players and thrusting four fingers in the air during the entire fourth quarter. He's also used as a motivational tool for Alabama fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium, making regular appearances on the stadium video boards.

In a rare interview session with reporters prior to the 24th Annual L'Arche Football Preview dinner in Mobile on Thursday, Cochran said he doesn't seem himself as some sort of celebrity, but simply another piece in Saban's famed "process."

"I just stay in my lane as much as possible," Cochran said. "But I think it's cool, no doubt, if we can use it in recruiting. If it helps us in any way, I'm in, I'm all in. I will sell out for the team all the time, kind of like we want the players to do. I'm trying to do the same thing."

In truth, much of Cochran's work is already done by the time the season begins. He spends the winter, spring and summer putting Crimson Tide players through the paces of the grueling "fourth quarter" offseason conditioning program.

Alabama players still work out three times a week during the season, and are constantly meeting with Cochran and his staff to make sure they're going about things the right way physically and mentally. And Cochran -- whose official title with the Crimson Tide is Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning -- tries to lead by example.

"In my job somebody's got to bring the energy," Cochran said. "You want the players to be a certain type of way. Well, you have to be that way first, so if I can set the tempo, I'm going to do it."

Cochran had a front-row seat last January for one of college football's greatest comebacks, Alabama's 26-23 overtime victory against Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. That game included the now-famous halftime switch from Jalen Hurts to Tagovailoa at quarterback, sparking the Crimson Tide back from a 13-0 deficit.

Cochran said the Alabama team didn't panic despite the two-score hole it found itself in, knowing its plan would work eventually. And when Tagovailoa's overtime pass was caught for a touchdown by Davonta Smith, he could finally relax.

"I was trying to keep coach Saban back, was all I was trying to do at the time," Cochran said. "I did a good job there until he realized it was over, and we were celebrating.

"I think it was pretty simple, you know? Just keep doing what we do. Not worry about the score. Not worry about the outside factors. Just keep doing what we do. Coach made a decision, and it was on. Nobody had a thought one way or the other."

The 39-year-old Cochran was also with Saban during his days at LSU, which is Cochran's alma mater. Since joining the Crimson Tide program, he's not only lifted his national profile, but become one of the country's highest-paid strength & conditioning coaches at $585,000 per year.

Over the years, Cochran helped many of his players become workout warriors and translate those skills into NFL glory. However, he said he has a soft spot for those less-talented players who display All-American work ethic.

"Easily what I enjoy the most is the aftermath," Cochran said. "So two years after, three years, eight years after, when I see them when they come through, kind of the 'boys to men' mentality. Most of the time, a guy where I really take a lot of pride in it's a guy that didn't make it to the NFL. That has a career. That's kicking tail in other aspects of life, having a family, whatever and they can keep their chests up and excited and kind of happy they came to Alabama."