Tigers Football Lands Rebels Assistant Coach

Auburn has found its next offensive coordinator

The Auburn football staff is coming together.

Hugh Freeze is bringing in a well-recognized SEC coach and one from rival Ole Miss. It's been a hot topic for quite some time, as the news is not new if one looks at AL.com. Here's a recent quote from writer Matt Cohen:

"It has been rumored current Ole Miss wide receivers coach Derrick Nix, who previously coached the running backs in Oxford under Hugh Freeze, is a leading candidate for the coordinator job."

That article was published on Jan. 11, and today the news is coming to fruition. Here's what Auburn fans need to know about Nix.

According to the Ole Miss athletic website, Nix has been with the Rebels for 16 years. Further, among the players he's developed, the list includes the following players:

"Nix has tutored some of the most productive backs in Ole Miss history in Dexter McCluster, Brandon Bolden, Jaylen Walton, Jordan Wilkins and Scottie Phillips, while the Rebels have ranked top-three in the SEC in rushing three times."

Nix will be coming to Auburn as not only the offensive coordinator but also the running backs coach. He's certainly walking into an advantageous situation.

Auburn is returning a talented group of running backs for 2024. That list has Jarquez Hunter, the Tigers' top running back this past season with 159 carries, 909 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and 7 touchdowns. While Nix is expected to have no trouble helping the Tigers continue to run the ball well, the passing game needs the most help. 

Nix has experience with working with one of the nation's top passing attacks. While at Ole Miss and under the direction of head coach Lane Kiffin, here are the last four seasons of the Rebels' passing statistics from CFBStats, including their national rankings.

2020 includes 344.9 and #7, 2021 would be 274.8 and #22, 2022 comes in at 239.8 and #59, and the 2023 season is another great example with 285.6 and #19. Nix will certainly come to Auburn with a wealth of coaching knowledge. He's also a recruiter that will help the Tigers, too.

Nix is a former running back at Southern Miss, graduating in 2002. He's one of the school's best all-time players. Being in the state of Mississippi for over 20 years, he knows the Magnolia State well. He is going to help Auburn's recruiting efforts inside the state he has long since been living in.

Nix is also from Attala, Ala., so he also knows the Yellow Hammer State. Altogether, Nix is a tremendous hire for Freeze and the Tigers.