AUBURN — Training camp continues for college football programs across the country as the season approaches.
The Auburn Tigers are looking to put an improved product on the field this season, and shaking up the coaching staff was one thing head coach Hugh Freeze did to put them in a position to do so.
Freeze brought in Derrick Nix, who was on his staff at Ole Miss, to serve as the program's offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
Nix discussed what he has seen from the running backs so far and the offense as a whole.
"I think overall knowledge of what we're doing now," Nix said on where he thinks the offense is ahead of schedule. "I think actually going through spring and having this summer, the first week of training camp has been a lot of recall for the guys. Now they're in a position of knowing how to do things instead of what to do."
Auburn is expected to have one of the best running games in the SEC. Nix talked about the position group and what he has seen from it.
"I think the running game is doing well right now," Nix said. "We're doing a great job in our zone schemes, doing a great job of some of our gap schemes. I think our running backs have been solid. I think we've been getting really good push from our offensive line up front so far. I've been very pleased."
Auburn has been doing well on the recruiting trail lately. Nix said the coaches have set Auburn apart from the competition by selling their vision.
"First we have an outstanding group of coaches, the staff, off-the-field (coaches), recruiting department, our head coach," Nix said. "He (Freeze) kind of spearheads it all and everybody just doing work and grinding and doing a great job. We're doing everything we can to sell our vision and what we can do in the future."
Nix discussed how the running backs would be used in the passing game to make the offense as multi-dimensional as possible.
"It just depends on what the game plan dictates," Nix said. "I think our guys can do some of those things and it just depends on week-to-week."
Auburn opens the season at home against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on August 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT. ESPN+/SEC Network+ will carry the broadcast.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
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