Auburn had a brand new offense to learn after it hired Bryan Harsin as their head coach. Quarterback Bo Nix is excited about the new offense and talent around him.
“[The new offense] allows a few more check downs, and a few different route combinations that are a little bit different, that allow different places to go with the ball,” Nix said. “We’re excited to have these new guys at receiver…and then having a returning offensive line will be awesome.”
While Auburn lacks extended experience at receiver, the Tigers have depth in the position.
“I think that’s the most exciting part is how many we can get involved, from tight ends to receivers,” Nix said. “I believe Demetris Robertson and Shedrick Jackson are the only two that have gotten a significant amount of snaps in the SEC, so those guys will get to experience that for the first time, and that will make them better.”
Nix mentioned how he and the receivers have really nailed down their chemistry with each other.
“We have gotten that chemistry and those reps and the timing down,” Nix said. “We’re excited, we’ve got a lot of reps, thrown a lot of footballs to each other, so we’re excited to get out there and play a different team.”
Nix is entering his third year as Auburn’s starting quarterback, and he has been able to learn a lot from his first two years of SEC experience and apply that to this year.
“It’s just something different about having played two years and knowing the schemes of a lot of defenses,” Nix said. “Understanding and recognizing things before the snap, and I think pre-snap is where I’ll have the biggest difference in my head, I’ll know exactly the situations that they can prevent and the defenses that they can be in. The main part is knowing what to do each route combination and where to go with the football-based off the coverage.”
Auburn will play Akron on Sept. 4, which means playing against an actual opponent. Nix is excited about that.
“We’re really tired of hitting each other and playing against each other in practice every day,” Nix said. “That’s how it should be, because that means the other side of the ball is making you better.”
Auburn faces group-of-five Akron and FCS-level Alabama State before heading to Happy Valley to play No. 19 Penn State, so Nix spoke on how important it was for the offense to find rhythm and balance in the offense.
“Find those plays, formations, find the people that you can get the football to that you’re comfortable with,” Nix said. “Knowing that at the end of the day, whatever situation you’re in a game, even in a big game you can go to those certain things that you’re good at. Having these first two games before the big national stage games are going to be extremely important for us.”
During the offseason, there was a quarterback competition between Nix and LSU transfer T.J. Finley. Nix ultimately won the job and he believes the competition was mutually beneficial.
“I think it made both of us better,” Nix said. “Just having someone behind you taking every rep that is pushing you, making you better. This competition was another way for me to get better, to compete with myself.”
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Henry is a sophomore from Dallas, Texas. This is his second year with The Auburn Plainsman.
Twitter: @Henry_Patton23
