First-year Auburn football offensive coordinator Derrick Nix covered a range of topics regarding his hiring this past offseason during an interview with AL.com's Ainslie Lee. One that could've inspired a bit of saltiness was Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss program's official Twitter/X account being the first to share the news of Hugh Freeze's poaching of the Attala, Alabama native for his coaching staff -- but Nix kept it classy and played it off like it was nothing.
“It’s just Coach Kiffin being Coach Kiffin,” Nix prefaced before saying, “I was with him for four years, so I totally understand where he’s coming from. He was just doing everything he could to keep his program as strong as possible.”
Kiffin's pettiness was taken in stride. Score one for the long-time Freeze confidant, score none for the king of college football trolling.
Thanks to @DerrickDNix for 16 great years. pic.twitter.com/VmpJcagu2V
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) January 17, 2024
Derrick Nix on replacing Auburn football legend Cadillac Williams as offensive coordinator
On a more serious note, Nix discussed replacing one of the most beloved men in the history of Auburn Tigers athletics as both a player for four years under Tommy Tuberville in the early 2000s, running backs coach for the better part of five seasons under Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin, and Hugh Freeze, and even as an interim head coach for a third of a season in 2022, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams.
Nix gave Cadillac his flowers for what he did but admitted that he is not trying to emulate the new Las Vegas Raiders RBs coach.
“First I try to do a great job of understanding that I can only be me,” Nix said. “Carnell, obviously, was a heck of a football player. He’s done a great job as a coach in a short time already. The thing is, I’ve gotta look at myself and say, ‘Hey, I can’t be Carnell Williams, but I can be the very best version of Derrick Nix.’”
Nix has the right attitude about Kiffin's hijinks and Cadillac's greatness: none of it will affect what he will accomplish at AU.
It's on him. And he seems comfortable with that.