Coach Cochran's memoir is like the football version of Tuesdays with Morrie—bolder, stronger, powerful, unflinching, unapologetic, and hitting straight home. The ghosts that dog us come in forms we have yet to identify. This book helps you cross that bridge through self-introspection.

Coach told the team, "You're going to take a hit. How you respond is more important than taking the hit. Toughness is not what young players think it is. Its not just beating the hell of the guy across the line. That's why I talked about commitment and discipline before i got to the toughness.

The definition of toughness is not merely physical. You've got to be mentally tough on and off the field. Being committed to the process and having discipline and effort to do it is going to be tough. Being able to not look at the scoreboard is going to be tough. Being able to not talk back to coaches will be tough. Not ever talking to an official will be tough."


Coach talks about incidents and situations from his life that left a profound impact in shaping his own life, and his honest retelling of how addiction took a toll on his professional and personal life. He correlates his experience coping with the habit as well as his experiences coaching different teams to bring out their essence, and breaks down the ultimate essence that is palatable to the listener.

I listened to the Audiobook advanced review copy (with gratitude to Hachette Audio and NetGalley), and getting to hear it straight from Coach Cochran was not only a treat, but got the respect from me as well. I found myself sitting upright during the entire narration, and I did not/could not slouch even once.

Like all good, inspirational coaches, Coach Cochran speaks with authority and confidence, speaking throughout as if he was actually talking into the microphone to an audience of a 1000 at a stadium.

Two of the most adrenaline-pumped hours without breaking a sweat!

Powerful. Clear. Inspirational. Period.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #HachetteAudio, and #CenterStreetBooks for the opportunity to preview Skull Session: Mastering the Mental Game in Sports, Work, and Life written by Scott Cochran (with Ivan Maisel) and narrated by Coach Cochran. The description of the book was compelling on a number of levels based on my personal and professional background and I am a fan of college and professional football (definitely not to the level and familiarity that many readers will be, but enough that I recognized most of the individuals mentioned by Coach Cochran).

The initial draw was Cochran's story of recovery (all told in retrospect within a high-profile and high-stress arena and, at least partly, during the pandemic shutdown). The other aspect I really enjoyed was the positive messaging throughout the book about the importance and invaluable rewards of teaching and mentoring youth.

Coach Cochran talked about his own upbringing, his adhered to levels of discipline and goal-setting, and combined the narratives of his grit and determination in becoming an outstanding strength coach while later succumbing to daily addiction to opioids and stimulants.. He talks about his willfulness and selfishness, especially during active addiction and relapses, and how he was forced to repeatedly humble himself to get well and stay well. Eventually, he combined these aspects to become a better mentor and coach.

Ultimately this was a story of grace -- that he is still alive and sober and also continues to be valued for his coaching abilities (to the degree that his ultimate dream of becoming a head football coach - for University of West Alabama - came to fruition).

The destruction caused by opioid addiction and the number of lives lost is no longer a private or marginalized topic in our current world. #SkullSession is a harrowing story of addiction and a nearly fatal overdose and then a story of redemption with some practical feedback on living a goal-oriented and connected life.

For a compact, 5-hour book, Cochran is an effective narrator and I'm grateful to have listened to it in exchange for an unbiased review. For anyone interested in the above topics, you will not be disappointed and I highly recommend the audiobook. I wish Coach Cochran continued sobriety and grace in his recovery journey and in all of his pursuits. It's a story that's easy to root for.