April 30, 2018-Emporia State University head football coach Garin Higgins has announced the return of Cayden Cochran to the Hornet coaching staff. Cochran will be the passing game and recruiting coordinator in addition to coaching the running backs and S-Backs.
"I'm very excited to be back at Emporia State. What Coach Higgins and the staff have built here is very special and I am just pumped to be a part of it," said Cochran. "The culture that has been created here is incredible. It's a culture built on the foundation of hard-work, accountability, discipline and competitiveness. "
Cochran has spent the last three seasons at NCAA Division II West Georgia but is no stranger to Hornet football. He was a graduate assistant for Emporia State in 2014 before taking the quarterbacks coach position at West Georgia in the spring of 2015. The Wolves were 28-10 during his three years in Carrollton, Ga. with two trips to the NCAA Playoffs. He worked with veteran Dallas Dickey to help lead the Wolves to the NCAA Division II Semifinals in 2015 where they were defeated by Northwest Missouri 38-23 one week after the Bearcats defeated Emporia State in the regional final. Last season West Georgia went 9-4 on the season, falling to eventual national runnerup West Florida 17-14 in the regional finals. Under Cochran's leadership the Wolves threw for a school record 3,060 yards last season with 25 touchdowns.
"It's great to have Cayden back," said Coach Higgins. "He understands the culture here at Emporia State. It's exciting that he was at a place with a really good football program and he wanted to come back to Emporia State. That says a lot about where we are at as a program."
Cochran was the starting quarterback at Valdosta State where he led the Blazers to the NCAA Division II national title as a junior in 2012. His best work that season came during the NCAA Playoffs. He completed 80 of 118 (.676) passes for 873 yards and seven touchdowns during Valdosta State's four game run to the national championship.
"He brings a lot to the table in terms of recruiting, he's really familiar with the area we recruit," said Higgins. "He'll be a great asset to our program."
Cochran played his freshman season at Coffeyville CC and spent one year at Oklahoma University before transferring to Valdosta State. He was a three-year letterwinner and two year starter for the Blazers.
A native of Cashion, Okla., is a 2013 graduate of Valdosta State. He earned a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Native American Studies. Cochran's wife, the former Samantha Posey, was a standout softball player during her career at Valdosta State. The couple has one daughter, Posey.
Cochran replaces Matt Nardo who took a position with the Basehor-Linwood school district.
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