Nix spent the past two seasons as Auburn’s offensive coordinator under Hugh Freeze and interim coach DJ Durkin. He previously coached under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss as wide receivers coach from 2020-23, including as associate head coach in his final season in Oxford.

Nix, 45, is a native of Attalla, Alabama. He played running back at Southern Miss from 1998-2002, and later coached running backs at Southern Miss (2006-07) and Ole Miss (2008-19).

Nix has extensive ties with Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. Nix’s older brother, Tyrone, coached alongside Wommack’s father Dave at Southern Miss in the 1990s and later South Carolina. Derrick Nix served on Southern Miss’ staff in 2007 when Wommack played there, and Kane Wommack, Derrick Nix and Dave Wommack were all part of Ole Miss’ staff together in 2012 and 2013.

“I think the world of Derrick Nix,” Wommack said last month before facing Auburn. “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.”

Nix will replace JaMarcus Shephard, who departed earlier this month to become Oregon State’s head coach. In practices before Friday’s first-round playoff game at Oklahoma, the Tide’s receivers have been coached by analyst Tyler Hughes (a former wide receivers coach for the New England Patriots), analyst Torrey Gill (who will join Shephard at Oregon State) and analyst Bret Bolin (a former Alabama walk-on).

Coach Kalen DeBoer, a former college receiver, has also assisted in coaching wide receivers in recent practices.