ATHENS — The man credited with being Alabama’s secret weapon will not be joining Kirby Smart at Georgia.

Scott Cochran, Alabama’s longtime strength and conditioning coordinator, will remain there, the school announced on Monday night. Cochran had been linked with the Georgia job ever since Smart, his good friend, got the Georgia head coaching job.

The Tuscaloosa News reported that Alabama has agreed to give Cochran a raise to “in excess of $500,000. He had been earning $420,000 this year, already among the highest-paid strength and conditioning coordinators in football.

Mark Hocke, Georgia’s current strength and conditioning coordinator, is making $200,000 this year, his first at Georgia. Hocke had been Cochrane’s top assistant on Alabama’s staff the past six years.

Alabama may have also been helped by Cochran needing one more year to become vested in the state’s retirement system. That could of course mean more speculation this time next year whether Smart will try again to lure his friend.