Knowing is (At Least) Half the Battle

Bo Nix is under pressure to be a better quarterback in 2021. All the changes Auburn is making before the ball is even snapped might make all the difference for him.

(Jimmie Mitchell/SEC)

A lot of time can be, and has been, spent about what happens with Bo Nix after the snap.

In his first two seasons at Auburn, Nix has completed just 58.7% of his passes for an average of 6.8 yards per attempt. Last season, he scrambled more than all but two quarterbacks in the SEC — Ole Miss’ Matt Corral and Arkansas’ Feleipe Franks. He’s had 205 recorded rushing attempts for 14 touchdowns, a product of both designed running calls and mad dashes out of the pocket.

Nix has made some impressive plays during his career. His first college game, which came against eventual Pac-12 champion Oregon, ended with a gutsy fourth-down conversion and a last-second touchdown pass. He beat Alabama in his first Iron Bowl. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 18 of what they call “Big Time Throws” as a sophomore in 2020, which was fourth-most in the SEC.

Yet the consistency hasn't been there for the former 5-star prospect. He posted the third-lowest adjusted completion percentage of…