AUBURN, Alabama--As the Tigers head into their second week of preseason football practices with workouts scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday followed by a scrimmage on Saturday, Auburn’s head coach said he is seeing progress from Bo Nix.

The Southeastern Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2019 after starting every game, Nix is expected to again be Auburn’s No. 1 quarterback when the Tigers open the season with a home game on Sept. 26th vs. the Kentucky Wildcats.

Asked how Nix has progressed since the last time he played a game when the Tigers lost to Minnesota in the Outback Bowl at Tampa on New Year’s Day, Malzahn said, “I will say this. He is very confident. There is no doubt about that.

“I can tell he is starting to feel like this is more of his team,” Malzahn said. “That is natural progression for a true freshman that starts.”

Nix won the starting quarterback assignment in preseason a year ago. He finished the season with 2,542 passing yards while completing 217-377 throws for 16 touchdowns with six interceptions. He finished fourth on the team in net rushing yards with 313, averaging 3.2 yards per carry with seven touchdowns on the ground.

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Bo Nix is shown at the Outback Bowl where he closed his freshman season. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Inside The Auburn Tigers, 247Sports)

 

This season Nix has a new position coach, Chad Morris, who is also the new offensive coordinator for 2020. Malzahn has said the plan is for the former Arkansas and SMU head coach to call the plays this year in addition to being in charge of installing the offense.

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“He is getting used to Coach Morris’ offense,” said Malzahn, who has put the Tigers through one scrimmage so far this preseason. “They have done quite a bit of things, but Bo can handle them. I would say he had a good first week.”

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