AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Derrick Nix is headed to Auburn as offensive coordinator, according to his current employer.
Mississippi on Wednesday posted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, thanking Nix, the associate head coach and receivers coach, for 16 years of service, with a statement from coach Lane Kiffin.
"Acknowledging the opportunity to become a first-time playcaller with full-time playcalling duties as Offensive Coordinator at Auburn University," said the post, which was signed by Kiffin.
Auburn has not confirmed the hiring of Nix. Tigers coach Hugh Freeze fired coordinator Philip Montgomery, a former Tulsa head coach, after their first season.
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Nix's Ole Miss contract stipulates that he would owe a buyout if he left for a job other than a head coaching or coordinator position with primary play-calling duties.
The wording could potentially matter because Freeze said in an interview with ESPN recently that he would take over play-calling duties after firing Montgomery. Freeze called his own plays at previous stops, including Ole Miss, Arkansas State and Liberty.
Nix took over as receivers coach for Ole Miss in 2020 after previously coaching running backs. The former Southern Miss running back coached receivers including Elijah Moore, Dontario Drummond and Tre Harris.
He was promoted to associate head coach before the 2023 season.
The Tigers ranked 121st of 130 FBS offenses in passing, averaging just 162.2 yards per game. The Tigers averaged 351 yards and 26 points a game. Auburn totaled just 300 yards in a 31-13 loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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