Auburn football players talk about growing with the changes on the Plains
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix and linebacker Owen Pappoe represent the Tigers at SEC Media Days on Thursday. (Jimmie Mitchell/SEC)
Bo Nix took a trip down memory lane Thursday at SEC Media Days. Auburn’s junior quarterback was reminded of the days when his father, Patrick, was a coach at Charleston Southern and Bo was a ball boy at practice after school.
“I’d help shag footballs, (and) I would help with drills,” Nix said. “That’s really where I started to learn the most about the game of football. I was only in fifth to sixth grade. I would go out there every single day, spot the balls, and if I messed up, my dad would rip me for it.”
Last season, Nix was ripped by strangers on radio shows across the state as his sophomore season didn’t live up to the success he had as a freshman. Nix, linebacker Owen Pappoe and new head coach Bryan Harsin were the last to take their turns as they faced media members at the Hyatt Regency Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover.
Auburn football players Nix, Pappoe talk about facing Alabama, new coach and NIL from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
With Harsin, himself a former quarterback, Nix says he’s relishing the opportunity to be a signal-caller on the Plains, adding that any pressure he feels going into this season “is a privilege.”
“I think I’m just confident,” he said. “My freshman year was a solid year. Last year, at times we struggled, but I think it was a great year of growth. I’ve had two good years, in my opinion. Obviously, I continue to grow.
“I think pressure is a privilege, so all the added pressure is just more of an honor to be at Auburn playing quarterback,” the former Pinson Valley High standout said. “I really am blessed to be here, blessed to be in this position, because I know there are so many people that could be. I’m just excited that I’m the one that the Lord chose.”
RELATED: Coach Bryan Harsin ready to make himself at home at Auburn
RELATED: SEC commissioner warns of possible COVID forfeits this football season
Pappoe said it’s a huge advantage to have a veteran quarterback in the fold. He said Nix has appeared more calm this offseason.
“He seems really more comfortable in this offense, even though we just now learned it,” the junior linebacker said. “He’s seemed to pick up on everything really fast, going through the progressions good. He’s even helping out TJ sometimes, too. I think he’s really gonna have a better season this year.”
“TJ,” of course, is LSU transfer quarterback TJ Finley. Pappoe said there is healthy competition going on in Auburn’s QB room, and Nix said the former Bayou Tiger is a good addition for the Auburn Tigers.
“He’s a big, strong guy with a good arm, fast release,” Nix said. “I’ve just done everything I can to help him learn the offense because I know how it was for me at the beginning. I know what kind of offense he came from.
“We’ve gotten a lot of transfers that I think are important for our team. We did a really good job in the transfer portal, got a receiver, got a few other guys on offense, and then got some really key defensive players that are already helping us over there. They will continue to help us.”
Auburn linebacker Owen Pappoe speaks at SEC Media Days 2021 from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Pappoe said Auburn is running a three-four base defense.
“The defense, it’s been going good,” he said. “It has a lot of similarities to (former defensive coordinator) Kevin Steele’s defense, so guys kind of just picked up on everything really fast. The transition went very smooth.
“We’re going to be able to play fast, show a lot of range,” Pappoe continued. “I actually love it, being able to just run out there and make a lot of plays, match up on tight ends and receivers if I need to, play man-to-man on running backs (and) just be able to show a lot of versatility in the defense.”
The Auburn defense was inexperienced last year, the linebacker said, but younger players “got their stripes” on the field.
“(Defensive end) Colby Wooden really stepped up as a leader in the weight room, him and JJ Pegues,” Pappoe said. “But other guys have been standing out to me as well. Tony Fair has been doing good, and also Marcus Harris and Tyrone Truesdell. We expect a lot from this year, and they’re gonna be able to come and perform.”
Pappoe called it “a huge, huge honor” to represent the Auburn defense at Media Days.
“I think my dad was actually happier,” he said. “He was just talking to me the whole week, updating me on how things were going and stuff like that. I’m glad to be here.”
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix speaks at SEC Media Days 2021 from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Nix was asked about potentially forever being linked to Milo’s Sweet Tea, with which he signed an endorsement deal under new name, image and likeness rules.
“First of all, I think NIL is a great opportunity for us as student-athletes,” he said. “It’s not limited to just one sport. Every single college athlete can now make compensation off of their name, which is important because their name is the only thing they have and that’s unique to them.
“With Milo’s, it was just a mutual agreement,” he said. “Obviously, it may be stuck with me forever, but eventually somebody else will sign something and that’ll be the topic or I’ll sign something else and that’ll be the new topic. It’s just all evolving. But, like I said, it’s a great opportunity.”
