AUDIO: Sports Illustrated Indiana's Tom Brew Talks David Ballou On Alabama Radio Station

Indiana's strength and conditioning dynamic duo of David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea are leaving the Hoosiers for similar positions with the 17-time national champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It is a huge deal in Alabama that Nick Saban has hired David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea away from Indiana. The Crimson Tide usually get what it wants when positions come open on the coaching staff, and the Indiana pair are a perfect fit on Saban's staff.

Ballou and Rhea have been at Indiana since 2018 and were just about to start their third season in Bloomington. There was substantial interest in the pair last year from major college and NFL teams, but Indiana was able to keep  them around with substantial raises.

That couldn't happen this time around, with the pull of the finest program in the country behind them at Alabama. Nick Saban is a legend in the sports, having one six national championships, including five at Alabama in the past decade. 

He's been so good at Alabama that the book "Decade of Dominance'' written by Christopher Walsh called Saban's 10 years from 2009 to 2018 the greatest decade in college football history. Walsh covers Alabama for Sports Illustrated on his www.bamacentral.com website. It was edited and published by SI's Tom Brew, who also owns Hilltop30 Publishing Group and has published several books in Alabama and Indiana. 

With all the buzz over Ballou and Rhea heading south to Tuscaloosa, Sports Illustrated Indiana's Tom Brew joined Drew DeArmand on "Talkin' Ball'' on the ESPN radio station 97.7 The Zone in Huntsville, Ala., to talk about Ballou and Rhea, the success they had at Indiana and what they might be able to accomplish in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide.

Here is some related content on David Ballou

The stories below include a lengthy profile from our Sports Illustrated Indiana site in October and the breaking news story over the weekend about  their impending move.

• MEET DAVID BALLOU: Here's how Indiana's Director of Athletic Performance has turned Indiana around in the weight room in such a short period of time. CLICK HERE
• BALLOU, RHEA LEAVING FOR ALABAMA: Indiana's strength and conditioning duo are leaving to take similar roles with Nick Saban at Alabama. CLICK HERE

You can order your copy of this best-selling college football book on Amazon.com or BN.com, or contact publisher Tom Brew for an autographed copy at tombrew@hilltop30.com

• "Decade of Dominance" on Amazon: CLICK HERE
• "Decade of Dominance" on Barnes & Noble's website: CLICK HERE

Several current and former Indiana players reached out on Twitter to thank Ballou and Rhea for all their hard work.

Links to other books mentioned during interview

• MISSING BANNERS: Looking back at five Indiana basketball seasons (1975, 1980, 1993, 2002 and 2013) where the Hoosiers could have won national championships but didn't. CLICK HERE
• EVER FAITHFUL, EVER LOYAL: The inspiring story of Birmingham's Timothy Alexander, who was paralyzed in a car accident in 2006 but became the first paraplegic to earn a full-ride college football scholarship and saved the UAB football program. Now he's a much sought-after motivational speaker. CLICK HERE
• ONE MORE DAY: Montgomery, Ala., writer Kym Klass writes a beautiful story about the loss of her sister to suicide four years ago, and its painful effects on faith and family in the time that followed. CLICK HERE

Over 5,000 data points collected in past 2 days, fortunate to have strength staff that will pour through the info, make sure adjustments are made, and address weaknesses/deficiencies by Monday. Player development never stops. @MattRheaPhD @IUMattClapp @IUCoachPaul @SDMFStrength

— David Ballou (@UA_CoachBallou) February 8, 2020