Derrick Nix's impact already being felt in Auburn's fall camp

What did Hugh Freeze say about the Tigers' new offensive coordinator?

AUBURN, Ala.- Auburn finally opened fall camp on Thursday, and Hugh Freeze addressed the media before holding his inaugural practice of the 2024 football season.

Coming off a 6-7 season, overall improvement is paramount. The massive recruiting success makes on-field success much more important going into 2024. Freeze’s first offensive and defensive coordinator hires were not the right fit. Freeze replaced Phillip Montgomery with former assistant and Ole Miss running backs coach Derrick Nix to help him run the offense. DJ Durkin comes in as defensive coordinator, replacing Ron Roberts. Freeze now leads a three-headed brain trust for his offense. Freeze, Nix, and QB coach Kent Austin are all collaborating on how to get the most out of QB Payton Thorne and the other offense that underperformed in 2023, outside of the Georgia and Alabama games.

Freeze was asked on Thursday about the difference Derrick Nix has made. The head man’s first words about Nix were, “I’m very comfortable with him.” This is the whole reason Montgomery was fired, and Nix was hired. Freeze blamed Montgomery time after time last year when the offense struggled as he tried to delegate responsibilities. The bottom line is that Freeze didn’t like what he saw a lot last year and went and got a guy he trusts to run things he's asked. “I was just sitting in his meeting with him and Kent (Austin) in there listening and trying not to talk as much let them talk, but he's saying exactly what he should be saying,” Freeze said. This statement says it all. Freeze does not want to feel like he must be in every offensive meeting every week. He has acknowledged that as a head coach in the SEC in 2024, he can’t sit in on meetings and scheme up a game plan or individual plays to beat his opponents every week.

Freeze added, “And if you're talking about concept screen, seeing it the same way I see it, and telling that to the players just gives me this kind of fuzzy feeling that I'm like, this is exactI'mwhat I would have said.” Freeze now has an OC “hat he fully trusts. Nix knows how Freeze likes to game plan and approach every opponent. Since Freeze will call plays this fall, Nix and Austin leading the offensive game plan will make it easier for Freeze to call plays. It’s all a recipe that will lead to more success. Coaching staffs that fully trust each other and are fully bought are the most successful. Freeze has made his changes, and he’s primed to lead Auburn to a more successful 2024 than 2023.