Derrick Nix (American football)

Last updated
Derrick Nix
Current position
Title Offensive coordinator/running backs coach
Team Auburn
Conference SEC
Biographical details
Born (1980-02-22) February 22, 1980 (age 44)
Attalla, Alabama, U.S.
Playing career
1998–2002 Southern Miss
Position(s) Running back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2003Southern Miss (GA)
2004–2005Southern Miss (TE)
2006–2007Southern Miss (RB)
2008–2019 Ole Miss (RB)
2020–2022Ole Miss (WR)
2023Ole Miss (AHC/WR)
2024–present Auburn (OC/RB)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Conference USA Freshman of the Year (1998)
2× first team All-CUSA (1999, 2002)
Second team All-CUSA (1998)

Derrick Nix (born February 22, 1980) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the offensive coordinator at Auburn University. He played college football at Southern Miss where he was the only player in Conference-USA history to rush for over 1,000 yards in three seasons.

Contents

Early years

Nix grew up in Attalla, Alabama. [1] [2] His father was a pastor and his older brother Tyrone played linebacker Southern Miss before becoming a coach. [2] [3] Nix attended Etowa High School where he was an all county selection as a senior. [1] Nix was recruited by Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Florida as a linebacker but he instead decided to commit to the University of Southern Mississippi as he wanted to play running back and his brother worked as an assistant coach at the school. [2]

College career

As a freshman Nix ran for 1,180 yards and 9 touchdowns and was named a freshman All-American and the Conference USA freshman of the year. [4] [1] The following year in 1999 he ran for 1,054 yards while earning all-conference honors, helping the Golden Eagles win their second straight Conference USA title and finish ranked #14 in the AP Poll, the highest finish in school history. [5] [4] Nix missed most of the 2000 and 2001 seasons due to a kidney disease he developed after taking medication to recover from an ankle injury. [6] [3] He returned to the field as a senior in 2002 where ran for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns, making him the only player in Conference USA history to rush for 1,000 yards in three seasons. [7] Nix was projected by NFL scouts as likely being a second or third round draft pick however he was forced to quit football prior to the Golden Eagles bowl game due to his kidney disease worsening and becoming life-threatening. [3] [6] He finished just 12 yards away from the program rushing record. [3] Nix received a kidney transplant from his brother Marcus in 2003 and later sued Pfizer. and Merck & Co, the makers of the anti-inflammation drugs that caused his kidney disease. [8] [9] The lawsuit was settled out of court. [10]

Nix was named to the Conference USA team of the decade in 2006 and was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. [1]

Coaching career

Nix began his coaching career in 2003 as a graduate assistant at Southern Miss under Jeff Bower. [6] He was promoted to tight ends coach in 2004 and running backs coach in 2006. In 2008 he was named the running backs coach at Ole Miss, a position he would hold for twelve years. Upon the hiring of Lane Kiffin in 2020, Nix became the Rebels wide receiver coach where he coached All-American Elijah Moore. [11] [12] In 2023 he was promoted to the team's associate head coach. [11] In 2024 he left Ole Miss after 16 years to become the offensive coordinator at Auburn under Hugh Freeze. [11]

Personal life

Nix's older brother Tyrone Nix has served as the defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Ole Miss and is currently the defensive coordinator at Tarleton State. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Former Etowah standout Nix honored by USM". Gadsden Messenger. 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. 1 2 3 Cleveland, Rick (2024-01-22). "21 years ago, Derrick Nix received a new kidney. Boy, has he run with it". Mississippi Today. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bradley, John Ed. "Body Blow Southern Mississippi running back Derrick Nix was bound for the NFL until he was blindsided by a life-threatening disease". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  4. 1 2 "Derrick Nix College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  5. ↑ "Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  6. 1 2 3 Pevey, Greg (2016-10-24). "Coach Derrick Nix Is A Survivor". Rebel Nation Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  7. ↑ "Derrick Nix - Football Coach". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  8. ↑ "Nix sues drug companies, claiming anti-inflammatory drugs caused kidney disease". Gadsden Times. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  9. ↑ RUSSO, RALPH D. (2003-06-04). "Ex-Southern Miss Star Set for Transplant". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  10. ↑ "Former Running Back Settles Suit Against Arthritis Drugs Makers | HarrisMartin Publishing". www.harrismartin.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  11. 1 2 3 Zenor, John (2024-01-17). "Auburn hires Derrick Nix away from Ole Miss as offensive coordinator". AP News. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  12. ↑ Feldman, Max Olson and Bruce. "Egg Bowl 2019: How two coach firings altered 300 careers". The Athletic. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
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