Can Bo Nix answer call at Georgia

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Auburn Football

Can Bo Nix answer call at Georgia after rocky road experiences as freshman?

Updated Sep 30, 2020; Posted Sep 30, 2020

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

The peaks and valleys of Bo Nix’s freshman campaign had a pretty straightforward demarcation.

When Nix was playing within the comforts and confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium, he was stellar; when he was on the road, he oftentimes struggled. It was day and night for the then-freshman quarterback, who threw all six of his interceptions away from home, including four combined in pivotal SEC road losses at Florida and at LSU.

“He had some of the best atmospheres in all of college football with some of the best defenses in college football when he was on the road last year,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “I think there’s nothing like experience. You go through it once or twice and you understand what your challenges are and what you’ve got to deal with…. It was definitely good for him to be able to experience those hostile environments against really good defenses.”

Malzahn and No. 7 Auburn (1-0) are banking on Nix to learn from those freshman experiences as a struggling freshman on the road as the Tigers head into their first road test of the season — a 6:30 p.m. kickoff against No. 4 Georgia (1-0) in Athens, Ga., on Saturday.

In six games away from Jordan-Hare Stadium last season, Nix completed just 51.3 percent of his passes for 931 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions while averaging just 6 yards per pass attempt. That completion rate away from home was ninth among qualifying SEC quarterbacks, while his six interceptions were second to only Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond’s seven picks.

Nix’s 112.76 passer rating and 6 yards per pass attempt were also in the bottom half among SEC quarterbacks away from home last season.

It was a stark contrast to Nix’s numbers at home, where he completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,611 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions while averaging 7.3 yards per pass attempt and posting a 133.68 passer rating. Nix was the only qualifying SEC quarterback to not throw an interception at home in 2019, though his overall numbers still ranked in the bottom half of the league.

Of course, two of Nix’s worst performances came in two of the most hostile environments in college football: LSU’s Death Valley and The Swamp at Florida.

“You can put no price tag on experience,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I saw that with Jake Fromm. The first year, you saw these simple mistakes, and then the next year it was like, ‘OK, I know the down and distance better. I know where the yard marker is. I know I’m in field goal range, don’t take a sack. I know where I’m going with the ball. I’ve seen this defense already about eight times. I know exactly what to do with the ball.’ It’s one of those deals that with experience you make better decisions.”

This year, Nix will be dealing with completely different road atmospheres due to the circumstances of the ongoing pandemic, with most SEC teams capping attendance at 20-25 percent capacity. That includes this weekend at Georgia, where the Bulldogs will have between 18,000-23,000 fans Between the Hedges for the 125th installment of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

“This year’s a little bit different in that it’s not going to be 90,000,” Malzahn said. “But still they’re going to have the piped in noise and all that stuff.”

Circumstances of "unique" early-season game at Georgia could benefit Auburn

It will still present a challenge for Nix, especially against a top-five team like Georgia with a stout defense and impressive secondary, but this is also supposed to be a different Nix than the one everyone saw last year — the one who oscillated between brilliant and mistake-prone and, at certain points, lost his swagger as a freshman. If the season opener for Auburn was any indication, the Bulldogs should expect to see a new iteration of Nix on the road too.

“It’s very obvious that his learning curve is really fast in terms of being able to understand his offense, how to use it,” Smart said. “He made some decisions in the last game that last year he wouldn’t have made that decision that fast. What happens is when you make that decision a split second sooner, it gives that wideout an extra yard to run after the catch. And also, that’s a big play instead of a catch and a tackle. He’s done a tremendous job, and he’s a really good football player.”

Against Kentucky, Nix completed 16-of-27 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing. He averaged 8.6 yards per pass attempt, which he eclipsed just twice last season against SEC teams, and he played error-free football in his first game manning Chad Morris' offense.

Now Nix will try to build on that season debut, as well as the lessons he learned on the road as a freshman last season, against one of the nation’s best teams.

“I just saw a different guy,” Auburn receiver Anthony Schwartz said. “… Now, he’s like a professional quarterback, not panicking, getting through his reads and just being able to throw the ball under pressure. Throwing accurate balls. He was throwing dimes (against Kentucky). I don’t think there was one that wasn’t a great pass (Saturday). I think that he still has a lot to improve, which I think is scary for other teams.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[SocialCircle 570]

I believe in Bo Nix.  I think he will hold more school records by the time he leaves the Plains than any QB in school history. The next step in his progression is to play well against an elite defense at their place.  Bo will place himself solidly in the Heisman race with a great game this Saturday as he leads us to victory. 

WAR EAGLE!! 

[Win4AU 4,182]

Bo played at (in my experience) the two toughest places to play outside JHS.  I’ve been to LSU, Tennessee, Bryant Denny, and Uga but Florida is by far the loudest stadium I’ve been in.  It made me feel uneasy and I was in the stands.  Except for one or two really bad reads he didn’t play terrible against LSU.  I don’t remember much of the TaMu game other than the end around but I feel like he played well that game as well.  Florida was abysmal.  There will be some noise Saturday but I don’t think it’ll be enough to rattle him like last year.

[Barnacle 9,107]

4 hours ago, SocialCircle said:

I believe in Bo Nix.  I think he will hold more school records by the time he leaves the Plains than any QB in school history. The next step in his progression is to play well against an elite defense at their place.  Bo will place himself solidly in the Heisman race with a great game this Saturday as he leads us to victory. 

WAR EAGLE!! 

Whoooeee, hold your horses my man! We've got a long way to go before we start throwing out the "H" word. Let him demonstrate enough to show he can win these games, first. Baby steps!

[jAUSon 2,836]

I like Bo as already good enough to not be the actual reason for any losses. 

[AUpreacherman22 3,945]

Florida and LSU were also his first 2 true road tests of his career! (OU was neutral site and we got ahead early against A&M and got the crowd out of it)

He’ll be a very good one very soon!
 He could possibly put himself in the Heisman conversation next year, but way too early for any of that talk yet.  

[I_M4_AU 8,935]

The big difference from last year is the new OC.  It appears, from the UK game, Bo is confident and believes in Chad and his teachings.  This game is pivotal, with respect to the rest of the season, in his growth as a QB.  I’ll be rooting for him to have a good game against UGA and think the team will win.

[The Freak 2,539]

Bo could be a 5 year starter.

 

I guess that wouldn't be good for either of us, though.

[gr82b4au 5,576]

That is what everyone wants to know. Can we win a top five game on the road?

[JDUBB4AU 5,287]

Not sure Bo is ready to win in Ga. he still has a long way to go. 

[Barnacle 9,107]

26 minutes ago, JDUBB4AU said:

Not sure Bo is ready to win in Ga. he still has a long way to go. 

I think he's got a ways to go before he reaches his potential, but I don't think he's far from being able to win a big road game. I'm more worried about our ability to run the football. If we can run the ball, and Bo cleans up some of the mistakes he made last week, we're going to have a shot at winning the football game. 

 

[Win4AU 4,182]

On 10/1/2020 at 1:38 PM, The Freak said:

Bo could be a 5 year starter.

 

I guess that wouldn't be good for either of us, though.

No it wouldn’t.  Im hopeful that he has 1 more year and leaves Auburn with a Heisman and a natty after next season.

[JDUBB4AU 5,287]

1 hour ago, Barnacle said:

I think he's got a ways to go before he reaches his potential, but I don't think he's far from being able to win a big road game. I'm more worried about our ability to run the football. If we can run the ball, and Bo cleans up some of the mistakes he made last week, we're going to have a shot at winning the football game. 

 

Yes sir you are correct.💯, the run game will take some pressure off him. If Bo can run for 100 or so we may win as well 

[Barnacle 9,107]

3 minutes ago, JDUBB4AU said:

If Bo can run for 100 or so we may win as well 

That would be wild!

[abw0004 10,303]

If you remember at the end of the game last year Bo was visibly upset in how that ended.  He will be ready and he will make sure his offense is ready. Less than 24 hours...

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

On 10/1/2020 at 11:43 AM, Win4AU said:

Bo played at (in my experience) the two toughest places to play outside JHS.  I’ve been to LSU, Tennessee, Bryant Denny, and Uga but Florida is by far the loudest stadium I’ve been in.  It made me feel uneasy and I was in the stands.  Except for one or two really bad reads he didn’t play terrible against LSU.  I don’t remember much of the TaMu game other than the end around but I feel like he played well that game as well.  Florida was abysmal.  There will be some noise Saturday but I don’t think it’ll be enough to rattle him like last year.

Despite living in Florida my whole life last year was my first trip to the Swamp. It was frighteningly loud in the endzone upper deck where we were. Can't imagine how it was at field level. 

[SaltyTiger 8,569]

On 10/1/2020 at 7:14 AM, aubiefifty said:

Can Bo Nix answer call at Georgia after rocky road experiences as freshman?

I say yes......expecting big things from Bo in the future. Gus seems genuinely comfortable with his quarterback.

 

“I think he made some outstanding throws. One that he threw down there on third down and goal from the 11 or 12, he was off his back foot and he put it only where it could be and Seth went up and made an unbelievable play,” Malzahn said. “The out-and-up to Eli Stove was a perfect throw.”

Malzahn noted that the best could be yet to come for the offense because the players have only been with Morris for about six weeks since spring practice didn’t happen.

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

No.

[tigeraddikt 1,697]

No, he can not.

[gr82b4au 5,576]

On 10/2/2020 at 6:54 PM, JDUBB4AU said:

Not sure Bo is ready to win in Ga. he still has a long way to go. 

Yep

[GTNupe11 2,077]

On 10/1/2020 at 8:13 AM, SocialCircle said:

I believe in Bo Nix.  I think he will hold more school records by the time he leaves the Plains than any QB in school history. The next step in his progression is to play well against an elite defense at their place.  Bo will place himself solidly in the Heisman race with a great game this Saturday as he leads us to victory. 

WAR EAGLE!! 

This didn't age well...

[SocialCircle 570]

1 hour ago, GTNupe11 said:

This didn't age well...

We were exposed last night on both lines of scrimmage. 

[johnnyAU 3,745]

He let it go to voice mail

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Bo had no answer for his scrappy play or the scrappy coaching on both sides of the ball.

[cole256 17,085]

On 10/1/2020 at 8:13 AM, SocialCircle said:

I believe in Bo Nix.  I think he will hold more school records by the time he leaves the Plains than any QB in school history. The next step in his progression is to play well against an elite defense at their place.  Bo will place himself solidly in the Heisman race with a great game this Saturday as he leads us to victory. 

WAR EAGLE!! 

Hilarious