Auburn names Derrick Nix Offensive Coordinator & Kent Austin Quarterbacks Coach
Auburn Football
Hugh Freeze names Ole Miss Assistant Coach Derrick Nix the Offensive Coordinator and promotes Kent Austin to Quarterbacks Coach.
Nix spent the last 16 years of his career at Ole Miss. Twelve of those 16 years were spent as the running backs coach. Nix also spent the last four seasons as the wide receivers coach and served in the assistant head coach role in the previous two seasons. Nix is a native of Attalla, Alabama.
“I’m really excited to reunite with Derrick here at Auburn,” Freeze said. “He is an outstanding recruiter and coach who has nearly two decades of experience in the Southeastern Conference. Derrick knows the level of excellence required to be successful in this league and I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity to help develop a winning program at Auburn.
During last season at Ole Miss, Nix helped the Rebels offense to being ranked in the top 20 for total offense, scoring offense, and passing offense. Nix also had three of his receivers rank in the tp twelve in the SEC in receiving yards.
In 2022, Nix had another talents crew of receivers that included Malik Heath and Jonathan Mingo. The Rebels also had the top rushing offense in the SEC that season.
Nix played college football at Southern Miss and was the first Golden Eagle to rush for 1,000 yards in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Nix is also the only Golden Eagle or C-USA player to ever rush for 1,000 or more yards in three seasons.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity at Auburn and to get back on staff with Coach Freeze. Having worked with him before, I have a strong understanding of what he wants offensively as well as culture wise,” Nix said. “Fundamentally, we want to be a fast, physical and fearless offensive scoring unit. I’m also looking forward to rejoining Coach Austin after working with him at Ole Miss for two years. Growing up in the state of Alabama, I understand what Auburn is about. I have vivid memories as a kid following the likes of Bo Jackson, Stan White and the undefeated team in 1993. I’m excited to be a part of the rich tradition of Auburn football and can’t wait to get started.”
Kent Austin has been promoted to Quarterbacks Coach from his previous position of special assistant to the head coach/quality control. Austin served in that role for a year at Auburn. Austin has over two decades of experience in the coaching world at both the collegiate and professional level. Austin is also no stranger to coaching alongside Freeze, as he was his offensive coordinator at Liberty from 2019-2022.
“I’ve known Kent for a long time and worked with him at multiple schools. He is a great teacher and developer of quarterbacks and has been a valuable resource to our program this past year. I have full trust in Kent and Derrick as coaches and men to help develop our offensive unit to the standard we expect.”
Before serving alongside Freeze at Liberty, Austin spent six seasons with the Canadian Football League working as a head coach (2013-17), general manager (2013-2015), and vice president of football operations (2013-2018) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. During his time with the Tiger-Cats, he helped lead them to back-to-back Grey Cup Finals in 2013 and 2014.
Some other stops in Austin’s Coaching Career include; Cornell (head coach; 2010-12), CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders (head coach; 2007), Ole Miss (offensive coordinator; 2008-09), and Toronto Argonauts (2004-06).
Austin played college football at Ole Miss and is one of the school’s most celebrated quarterbacks. He was inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
“I feel very honored and blessed to be given this new position and am thankful for the trust Coach Freeze has placed with me to develop our quarterbacks at Auburn,” Austin said.
(Information from Auburn University)
