He is hurt by the news of Scott Cochran leaving Alabama for Georgia and it’s okay.
For Marquise Maze, the Birmingham (Ala.) native played at receiver from 2007 to 2011 for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. He was on two BCS National Championship teams and had a close relationship with Cochran.
As the program’s strength and conditioning coach, Cochran pushed Maze into being the team’s leading receiver and return specialist in the 2011 season.
While some Tide fans do not see Cochran’s departure as a big deal, Maze along with other former players view as a marquee loss.
As an individual speaking his truth, Maze tried to get fans to understand it takes more than Nick Saban to build a program. However, when you are dealing with those who idolize him, this is not an easy task.
RELATED: Nick Saban releases statement on the departure of Scott Cochran
The mindset of fans and media personalities is Alabama football will remain dominant, as long as Saban is at the helm.
People continued to come at Maze on social media and it led to him starting the ‘Saban isn’t God’ rant on Twitter.
Saban isn’t God he don’t do everything for that program, he don’t check class, he don’t work in the weight room, he actually not the person u got to if u having family trouble, something most of y’all wouldn’t understand because y’all lives are perfect
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) February 24, 2020
Programs and everything is built on relationships and the coaches who brought the program from the bottom of the dumps are all gone besides Coach Saban
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) February 24, 2020
I see some y’all ways of thinking is naive!!! ??? I only have a relationship with one coach there now Coach Saban.. If u think for one second he the only coach to help build that program then u the dummy!!
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) February 24, 2020
Man if Coc leave I’m never returning to ttown.. It’s gonna be hard to keep the program afloat if this happen.
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) February 24, 2020
To support Maze’s claim on it takes more than Saban to build a program, the Alabama head football coach does not see the players every day.
He is busy recruiting, in meetings, in interviews and doing other things from a CEO perspective.
The position coaches probably don’t see their players every day, but Cochran held the keys to the weight room.
Cochran saw the players every day and he was available to talk with them about anything.
He had some interesting antics, but he had a way of connecting with young man to where they trusted him. When it comes to some players, it was a probably a thing where they didn’t feel comfortable talking to Saban and Cochran was someone that kept the locker room good.
Whatever the case might have been, Maze was not happy with people making light of Cochran’s choice to leave and his decision to defend him.
Cochran will be missed and Maze was a great player while he was at the program.
Hopefully, the Tide will find its next strength coach soon.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
