Gators Interview Former Auburn OC for Assistant Coach Role, Per Report

Florida's newest offensive staffing target has spent the last 18 seasons coaching in the SEC.

A former Auburn offensive coordinator could be the next running backs coach at Florida. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Another staff interview has reportedly taken place as Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators are targeting a veteran SEC assistant.

Florida interviewed for Auburn offensive coordinator and running backs coach Derrick Nix during a two-day visit to Gainesville, according to On3's Zach Abolverdi.

Nix was seen dining with Sumrall, defensive coordinator Brad White, expected offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, UF football operations leader Yusuf Shakir and expected front office staffer Cole Heard at Spurrier's Gridiron Grille in Gainesville.

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Nix is coming off a strong two-year stint at Auburn, where he helped the Tigers have a 1,000-yard rusher in Jarquez Hunter in 2024 and a 900-yard rusher in Jeremiah Cobb in 2025.

He also became Auburn's primary offensive play-caller for the final three games in 2025 after Hugh Freeze's firing, helping quarterbacks Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight break out while seeing the Tigers have a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in each of the last three games.

Before his brief stint at Auburn, he was at Ole Miss for 16 seasons, 12 as the running backs coach and four as the receivers coach.

Should he join Florida's staff, likely as the running backs coach, Nix will be key in the Gators' retention efforts of running back Jadan Baugh, who became the program's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015, headlined by a 266-yard game against Florida State to end the season.

He is also the second reported offensive assistant interview this week after the Gators reportedly interviewed former Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who played at Florida for five seasons and was a member of the national championship teams in 2006 and 2008.

Florida Gators Staff Changes Under Sumrall

Sumrall's current staff consists of just White, the former defensive coordinator at Kentucky, and who is expected to be joined by Faulkner and defensive line coach Gerald Chatman, the lone retention by Sumrall to be reported so far.

Florida is aiming to replace former running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, one of many staffers reported to not be retained by Sumrall since his hiring.

Alongside Juluke, receivers coach Billy Gonzales, offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Jonathan Decoster, defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, linebackers coach Deron Wilson, linebackers coach Robert Bala and special teams coordinator Joe Houston have all been reported to either not be retained or targeted by other schools.

Coaches reportedly close to finalizing their next jobs include Roberts and Wilson in the same roles at Arkansas, Houston at LSU and Bala as the defensive coordinator at James Madison, where he would reunite with former head coach Billy Napier.

Juluke, meanwhile, has been targeted by both Kentucky and Texas as the running backs coach.

Last week, Sumrall said his staff would have a mix of existing staffers, staffers he worked with at prior stops and staffers he has never worked with before.

 "I don't hire a staff off of who are my buddies," he explained. "I hire a staff based upon what is the absolute best group of people we can put together to serve and develop our players and win championships at that place."

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of Florida's staff changes under Sumrall here.