Former Auburn Assistant Coach Linked to Open Position on Alabama’s Staff

The Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer are searching for a new wide receivers coach after co-offensive coordinator and current wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard accepted the head coaching job at Oregon State in late November.

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According to a report by Football Scoop, former Auburn offensive coordinator and running backs coach Derrick Nix is in the running for the open wide receivers coaching position at Alabama. The report was confirmed by BamaOnLine's Charlie Potter.

Nix, a native of Attalla, Alabama, spent two seasons under former Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze as the offensive coordinator and the running backs coach for the Tigers. Auburn's leading rushers under Nix's coaching were Jarquez Hunter in 2024 (1,201 yards, eight touchdowns) and Jeremiah Cobb in 2025 (969 yards, five touchdowns). He took over as the primary play caller at Auburn following Hugh Freeze's firing after a 10-3 loss to Kentucky.

In the three games he was the primary play caller for Auburn, the Tigers averaged 507 yards per game, 42.3 points per game, 213 rushing yards per game, and 302 passing yards per game against Vanderbilt (loss), Mercer (win), and Alabama (loss).

Before his time on the plains, Nix spent 15 seasons on Ole Miss's coaching staff, spending time as the running backs coach (2008-2019) and the wide receivers coach (2020-2023).

Nix has experience with several staffers for the Crimson Tide. He was Kane Wommack's (Alabama defensive coordinator) position coach in 2007 at Southern Miss, and he coached alongside Freddie Roach (Alabama defensive line coach) and Jason Jones (Alabama defensive backs coach) at Ole Miss. Roach and Nix crossed over at Ole Miss during Roach's tenure as the Rebels' defensive line coach from 2017-2019, and Nix crossed over with Jones during Jones's time as Ole Miss's co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach (2013-2018).

The report by John Brice of Football Scoop also said that Nix is a potential candidate for Pete Golding's full-time staff at Ole Miss after Golding was named the head coach following Lane Kiffin's departure to LSU. He also said Alabama is "expected to have additional staff turnover."

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.