***Bo Nix Named 2019 Starting QB***

[AuCivilEng1 10,998]

 

 

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

[DAG 33,972]

1 minute ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Auburn Undercover is reporting that Nix has been named. Tifwiw

Can we get an official thread going now

 

[AuCivilEng1 10,998]

Twitter is blowing up with Bo Nix. I’m inclined to believe it.

[AuCivilEng1 10,998]

Just now, DAG said:

Can we get an official thread going now

 

Just remember who here reported it first. 😏

[ellitor 33,081]

4 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Just remember who here reported it first. 😏

You have the credit permanently etched.

[toddc 13,194]

History in the making: Bo Nix named Auburn starting quarterback

• by Brandon Marcello
• 11 minutes ago

AUBURN, Alabama — The modern era of Auburn football will enter a new frontier in 2019, and the Tigers will do it with a familiar name leading them on the field.

Freshman Bo Nix will start at quarterback for No. 16 Auburn in the season opener Aug. 31 against No. 11 Oregon, a person familiar with the decision tells Auburn Undercover. Malzahn informed the team Tuesday afternoon.

Nix beat redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood for the job in a battle that raged through the spring, summer and 14 practices in preseason camp.

 

For Nix, it's a dream come true to follow in his father's footsteps as an Auburn quarterback. For Auburn, it's a piece of history.

Nix will be the first true freshman to open the season as the Tigers' starting quarterback since 1946, when single-wing tailback Travis Tidwell led the Auburn offense. He led the nation in total offense (1,715 yards) at a time when freshmen were eligible to play college football because of a shortage of available players during World War II.

Like Tidwell, Nix hails from the state of Alabama. The decision comes at a time when true freshmen have been handed the reins of offense more often than ever at big programs such as Alabama, Georgia and Clemson, the national champion last season.

 

In fact, the last two national champions were led by true freshmen at quarterback: Alabama's Tua Tagovailoaleading a comeback victory against Georgia in 2017 and Clemson's Trevor Lawrence blowing out Alabama 44-16 in 2018.

Nix broke numerous high school records while leading Pinson Valley High to back-to-back state titles with his father, Auburn legend Patrick Nix, as the head coach. He owns the state's records for total offense in a career (12,505 yards) and touchdowns (161), including 127 scores through the air. He earned practically every in-state award you can imagine while also picking up a 5-star rating from the 247Sports Composite and the state of Alabama's Mr. Football award.

Nix arrived at Auburn in January as an early enrollee and participated in offseason workouts and spring practices. He threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns on 11 of 17 passing at the A-Day spring game, but also threw an interception in the second half.

 

Nix and Gatewood are both dual-threat quarterbacks, with much different statures and styles. Nix (6-2, 215) is a pocket passer, but can run zone-read plays to the outside much like Jarrett Stidham did during the previous two seasons. The difference? Nix is faster, though no one will confuse his quickness for that of former Auburn speedster Nick Marshall. Gatewood is bigger at 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds and can run inside more often to pick up third-and-short downs.

Auburn coaches have not ruled out the possibility of entering the season opener Aug. 31 with a plan to play both quarterbacks against Oregon. In fact, at this point, that's the expectation.

Nix started preseason camp leading the Tigers' offense to three touchdowns in a scrimmage, but also threw three interceptions, according to sources inside the closed-door session. Two of the passes were well-placed balls deflected off the receiver.

 

He returned in the second scrimmage without an interception while being the only quarterback to lead the offense to a touchdown. He ended preseason camp as the only first- or second-team quarterback to lead the Tigers to a touchdown in a scrimmage, according to sources.

The son of Auburn legendary quarterback Patrick Nix, Bo grew up dreaming of playing for the Tigers. He played for his father at Pinson Valley High in Alabama, where the two led the program to their first state championships (and in back-to-back years).

"The biggest thing is it’s not about me. It’s about him," Patrick told Auburn Undercover after his son played in a 7-on-7 tournament inside Jordan-Hare Stadium in June 2018. "And it’s the game of football. Keep it between the lines and do what you’ve prepared to do your whole life and keep preparing to keep doing it. I think that’s the biggest thing and I’ve not — pressure is relative. Pressure for those guys, in my mind, if you’re prepared, there’s not a whole lot of pressure. You’re just going out doing what you do. The challenge for him and the job for him going forward is to continue to do what he’s done and continue to work and continue to prepare. I don’t think the pressure is quite as real when you are prepared and you do the work and put the work in to get there."

 

History, legacy, family. All are in the mix when Bo Nix steps on the field Aug. 31 against Oregon. His family will be watching. It's here in Auburn his parents, Krista and Patrick, met and fell in love. Bo Nix can retell stories throughout his father's playing days -- Nix to Sanders is the most popular -- and throughout Auburn history. He stood in the stands as a kid watching the Kick Six against Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

"We love Auburn and not just Auburn football," Krista Nix said in June 2018. "It’s a piece of the pie. We treasure Auburn and have great memories here. There are a not a lot of fairy tales out there and five years from now we want Bo to look back and say, 'That's what I chose.'"

[DAG 33,972]

Quote

 

Impact Analysis: What the Bo Nix era means for Auburn

By Brandon Marcello 10 minutes ago

 

AUBURN, Alabama — The Bo Nix era has arrived at Auburn.

We learned Tuesday the true freshman and Auburn legacy will be the starting quarterback when the season begins with the No. 11 Tigers against No. 16 Oregon.

How did Auburn reach the decision?

What does it mean for the offense?

What does it mean for Joey Gatewood?

How does it affect the game plan?

We took a look at Nix, Gatewood and Auburn's future to dissect what the start of the Nix era means and what it might look like when the season opens Aug. 31 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.

A dual-threat quarterback

At some point in the time since Bo Nix signed with Auburn and began practicing with the team behind closed doors, the fact that the quarterback is a dual-threat runner got lost in the headlines.

Maybe it was because of Joey Gatewood's towering presence and hard-nosed running style as an inside-zone quarterback that overshadowed Nix, who broke passing records rather than rushing records in high school.

But remember this: Nix was rated the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2019, according to the 247Sports Composite. He can run. He's bulky. He can take a hit. He has drawn comparisons to former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, who not only frustrated defenses with his precision passes, but also his ability to pick up big yards on broken plays.

Nix threw for 3,496 passing and 48 touchdowns to go along with 351 rushing yards and six more scores while leading Pinson Valley to a second straight Class 6A state title in December. He will run in this offense. He will be utilized in run-pass option plays. He will run the zone-read.

"Bo, he can flat-out run, too, and he’s a very, very good athlete and so both of those guys are going to be run threats," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said at SEC Media Days. "When we’ve had a run threat at quarterback, that’s really a game changer as far as defenses having to prepare for us."

Simply put, he's not just a passer.

What does it mean for Joey Gatewood?

We continue to be told Joey Gatewood will play in the season opener against Oregon despite not being the starter. There's a plan in place to play the huge 6-foot-5, 233-pound quarterback. He's not just a threat to run, but also throw. He improved from the spring through the summer, and was impressive in the A-Day spring game (130 yards and two touchdowns on 8 of 12 passing, including seven completions, 123 yards and two scores in the first half).

Think of Gatewood's package as a flashy Wildcat special. wotj an extra blocker for the hard yards and in the red zone. We'll see how coaches particularly utilize Gatewood, but should Nix catch fire in the season opener and lead the offense to touchdown after touchdown, there's no reason to pull the starter and mess with the rhythm.

Still, Gatewood should and will play throughout the season. Coaches love his abilities, size and improvement.

Did Joey Gatewood get a fair shot?

The quarterbacks were not allowed to be tackled throughout preseason camp. They went "live" only once in the spring, and it's then Joey Gatewood opened a lot of eyes and had our sources believing he was the leader in the quarterback battle in April.

Then there were the superlatives, comparisons and high expectations placed at his feet by his own teammates.

"I’m telling you," receiver Seth Williams said. "He’s another Cam Newton back there. Once he gets live, he turns into a whole other person. Like, you couldn’t see it for real with this spring, with the scrimmage, the QBs not live —but once they’re live, I don’t think, [the defense] can get back there."

So, did Gatewood get a fair shot at the quarterback position by not being allowed to run in live action since April? We think so. Nix was unable to run, too, though quarterbacks did take off and had the whistle blown by officials and coaches when they believed a quarterback would have been tackled in a live scrimmage. Simply put, the coaches know what Nix and Gatewood can do on the ground, even when they were not "live."

Still, this quote sticks out from Malzahn in the spring: "When you let him go live, there’s a big difference."

If that approach is incorrect, and the offense fails to move, the coaches can always go with Gatewood at quarterback and see if he sparks the team.

The reality is you can dissect all of the film of scrimmage and practices you want, but you just don't know until you see a player on the field against an opponent on a big stage.

The emergency quarterback

Cord Sandberg has been the third-team quarterback since he's been on campus. Coaches plan to keep it that way heading into the season, but our insiders tell us there's an underlying issue with the Tigers' emergency quarterback: his arm motion is not fluid and his throws don't have the velocity required to be successful in the SEC.

Where does that leave Auburn? The Tigers could turn to walkon Wil Appleton in a pinch, which is the worst-case scenario. The fact is, Appleton may be better than Sandberg as an overall quarterback, which could be an issue if injuries mount at quarterback. Meanwhile, Appleton is attempting to stay here one more year before transferring to a smaller school to be a starting quarterback. Sandberg, 24, is here until the day he graduates as a retired minor league baseball player.

Why Bo Nix is ready

Bo Nix is not your typical quarterback for one gigantic reason: how many quarterbacks grew up with a former college quarterback and offensive coordinator as their father?

Patrick Nix graduate from Auburn holding the program's record for passing efficiency in 1995. He helped lead the Tigers to an undefeated season in 1993. He immediately jumped into coaching, from Jacksonville State and Henderson State to Samford before landing his first big-time job at Georgia Tech, where he was the offensive coordinator for two years. He was later hired at Miami, where a rebuilding project led to only two years on the staff.

Meanwhile, Patrick was coaching his son in the backyard. They watched film. They ran through drills. Then he became his high school coach and with his son leading the offense, Pinson Valley won its first state title in school history. They repeated as state champions in 2018.

Bo Nix was responsible for all but 18 yards of Pinson Valley’s offense in his final game.

“[I told my father] thanks,” Bo Nix said after the win in December. “All the days I wanted to hug him but couldn't. All the days upcoming that I'm going to want to hug him and can't, maybe wanting him on the sideline telling me what to do. My whole life the last five years, he's ultimately told me what to do. I've listened to him every time. It's surreal. It's a special feeling."

“I told him the other day, it’s time for him to move on,” Patrick Nix said in December, just days before his son reported to Auburn. “God gives us a time and a season for everything. It’s time for him to move on and time for me to move on to others. But I’ll never not be his dad. I’ll never not truly, quite honestly, be his coach. That’s the relationship I have with my dad. My dad is still my coach. That’s just the way it is. Just because we won’t play another game together, that doesn’t mean he’s still not my quarterback and my son. Our relationship will continue to be as strong as ever. It’s not going to change a whole lot, quite honestly.”

When the tables turned

Insiders and players believed Joey Gatewood exited spring practice as the leader in the quarterback race.

What changed?

Both Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood trained during the summer with private coaches, and they put in a tremendous amount of extra work. After the first scrimmage in preseason camp, howver, it became clear one quarterback was struggling to push the offense down the field while the other was overcoming mistakes by still leading the team on scoring drives.

Nix threw three interceptions in the first scrimmage. The offense struggled throughout the day, and coaches and players readily admitted the defense beat every offensive unit led by the quarterbacks. Lost in the mix of the defense dominating the day was Nix being the only quarterback among the two challengers to lead the offense on touchdown drives. Two of his three interceptions? Well, those were well-placed passes that backup receivers deflected and allowed to be picked off.

It was at this moment it became clear Nix was a step ahead. Another scrimmage and more practices only confirmed it. Nix kept leading scoring drives and Gatewood struggled to get the team in field goal range.

The big stage

Many will argue that it's one thing to be prepared, but pressure can still crack the hardest rock.

Patrick Nix, however, shared with me in June 2018 an interesting approach he instilled in his son.

"Pressure for those guys, in my mind, if you’re prepared, there’s not a whole lot of pressure," Patrick Nix said. "You’re just going out doing what you do. The challenge for him and the job for him going forward is to continue to do what he’s done and continue to work and continue to prepare. I don’t think the pressure is quite as real when you are prepared and you do the work and put the work in to get there."

There's no biggest stage in Week 1 than No. 16 Auburn vs. No. 11 Oregon.

Elite quarterbacks make their receivers better

Remember Eli Manning running the Ole Miss offense early in his career, and despite a lack of talent, finding a way to push the offense down the field? That's what elite quarterbacks do. That's what Jarrett Stidham did in 2017, but struggled to do in 2018 as the Tigers dealt with injuries at receiver.

True freshman or not, elite quarterbacks are elite quarterbacks. Look no further than last season at Clemson with Trevor Lawrence. Or Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa in the comeback victory in the 2017 national championship game against Georgia.

The elite players, regardless of age, make those around him better. Auburn will need that early in the season as they potentially sit one of their top receivers, Anthony Schwartz (hand). He's the Tigers' fastest player, but not necessarily the best receiver. Nix will have weapons at receiver, but he will have to make them better, just as they have to try to make them better. That means throwing receivers open, roping passes through tight windows for a big first-down conversion. And, of course, throwing touchdowns.

So, if Auburn is down more than one receiver in the opener or later in the season as Eli Stove and Will Hastings continue to battle through knee soreness, it will be the quarterback who has to step up.

Nix gained an elite 5-star rating for a reason out of high school. And coaches want him to grow into that type of player in college. The sooner he does that the better, especially against this schedule (six of the top 12 teams in the AP poll).

What's the game plan for Nix?

We know Auburn will likely play both Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood in the season opener, but will they let their true freshman starter let the ball fly in the season opener?

More freshman quarterbacks are starting at elite programs today than in recent history. Auburn is following the trend after never doing so in the modern era. Most of those freshmen (at Alabama and Clemson, particularly) have been extremely successful.

But it's not solely because of their abilities, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said.

"You're exactly right about more freshmen quarterbacks," Malzahn said in July. "But I think the guys that are really, really successful have a really good team around them. That goes back to the fact that we've got to be really good around them."

Auburn has five returning starters (all seniors) along the offensive line, two returning starters who missed most of 2018 due to knee injuries (receivers Will Hastings and Eli Stove), and every player at tailback returning. Auburn wants to get back to being a run-first team after failing to impress last season, so don't be surprised if the game plan for Nix against Oregon is relatively tame.

Time for team to rally around their quarterback

Most players knew nearly two weeks ago that Bo Nix had stepped ahead of Joey Gatewood as the leader in the quarterback battle. And, let's face it, players have their favorites because, well, it's natural. Friendships develop when you're with a quarterback for a year. Gatewood had that advantage over Nix heading into the spring, and you could tell players were very high on Gatewood as a quarterback and as a friend.

Now it's time for all of the players to rally around Nix, and not just support him but listen to him, too. That can be a difficult thing to do for a veteran, but the future is now for Auburn and the face of that future is Nix. It's just as much up to Nix to take that leadership role and win over his teammates, too. Some feelings will be hurt when Gatewood doesn't play often, but the players could see it and understand in early- to mid-August that Nix was the better quarterback. Now it's time to rally around him as a person and a player.

 

 

 

 

I have no clue how to make these articles read out without the link.

@BigWhiskey91 "Comparison to Baker Mayfield"

 

I am so excited.

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Just remember who here reported it first. 😏

The Vatican?

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

Supporting Bo 110%! Gotta say, Bo must’ve really shown out for Gus to name a True freshman starting QB. I do hope that JG gets plenty of opportunities to help the team, with his skill set.

[Tiger 8,818]

Please please please be able to make defenses respect his legs

 

Happy for the kid and ready to see where Bo takes us!

[bigbird 60,480]

10 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Just remember who here reported it first. 😏

You're welcome.

[abw0004 10,110]

Let's do this Bo! So happy for you.  Been saying this for months that he would start!

[bigbird 60,480]

Someone check on jeff

[DAG 33,972]

Just now, Maverick.AU said:

Supporting Bo 110%! Gotta say, Bo must’ve really shown out for Gus to name a True freshman starting QB. I do hope that JG gets plenty of opportunities to help the team, with his skill set.

Honestly, I didn't think he had any chance but man it is pretty amazing. JG will get plenty of opportunity as well.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

I repeat from yesterday:

[AuCivilEng1 10,998]

Just now, bigbird said:

You're welcome.

Brandon Marcello? Is that you??

[DAG 33,972]

1 minute ago, abw0004 said:

Let's do this Bo! So happy for you.  Been saying this for months that he would start!

Have you really? Lol

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

And thus, the Bo Nix era at Auburn has begun. I have a feeling we've got a lot of wins in store over the next 3-4 years...

[Barnacle 9,064]

This is really exciting. To me, having him come in and win this job against someone with the skill set that Gatewood has speaks volumes. That can't be understated. 

[Sizzle 3,909]

Time to get started and win a lot of games. Didn’t matter which guy won I felt comfortable with both tbh

[abw0004 10,110]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

Have you really? Lol

Yes.  All the way back into last season.  I even said it in one of my "My Thoughts from the Stadium" threads.  

[bigbird 60,480]

1 minute ago, toddc said:

Think of Gatewood's package as a flashy Wildcat special.

[DAG 33,972]

1 minute ago, abw0004 said:

Yes.  All the way back into last season.  I even said it in one of my "My Thoughts from the Stadium" threads.  

[ellitor 33,081]

9 minutes ago, DAG said:

I have no clue how to make these articles read out without the link.

@DAG Copy & paste the article body. I edited to add the article in your post.