Alabama Football Hires New Wide Receivers Coach

The Alabama football program is making an addition to the coaching staff as Matt Zenitz reports the Crimson Tide is moving to replace wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard with former Auburn interim offensive coordinator Derrick Nix.

Nix is from Attalla, Ala. and played football at Southern Miss before getting into coaching. He's been with the Auburn Tigers since 2024, serving as running back's coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator after the firing of Hugh Freeze this season. Nix coached wide receivers at Ole Miss from 2020-2022 after spending nearly a decade coaching running backs in Oxcford.

He has a strong relationship with Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack as detailed by Wommack in the week leading to the Iron Bowl.

"I think the world of Derek Nix and glad that he's getting an opportunity to call (Auburn's offense)," Wommack said. "I know he's waited a long time to do that. I've known him since I was probably seven, eight years old. Got great family ties. My sister actually was a surrogate for him and his wife and carried their daughter, Ava. And so just really happy for Derek, and he's doing a great job. I mean, you can tell a noticeable difference. And some of the things they're doing, from an execution standpoint, they're playing within the framework of what their players can do. They're getting the ball to their playmakers and and creating some explosive plays both in the run and pass game."

Alabama Crimson Tide On SI