The Ole Miss Rebels lost an assistant coach this offseason in the form of Derrick Nix as he jumped ship to join the Auburn Tigers on The Plains.
Nix had been on staff at Ole Miss since 2009, most recently serving as wide receivers coach and associate head coach. Recently, Nix sat down with the Montgomery Advertiser to discuss why he opted to leave Oxford for Auburn, reuniting with former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze in the process.
“I’m a believer, and this was a God-led decision," Nix said. "It was just the right time for me and my family. In my mind I accomplished the things I wanted to do at Ole Miss, and if you know Hugh Freeze like I know him, he is a great recruiter too.
“I’m in a position where I’m learning on the go. So to be with a guy like coach Freeze and a (quarterbacks coach) Kent Austin, who I have worked with before, I look at this situation as a place where I can develop and be the best version of myself.”
Although Nix is no longer with the Rebels staff, he did state that he recently had an interaction with head coach Lane Kiffin, and the two appear to still be on solid footing, from a relationship standpoint.
“I saw him when I went back down for spring break,” Nix said. “It was during a worship service, and we had a cordial conversation.”
Nix's vacancy with wideouts was filled by George McDonald earlier this year, a veteran coach who departed his alma mater Illinois to join the ranks in Oxford.
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