Gators ready for “big boy football” against Auburn

Dan Mullen remembers calling Bo Nix to kick the tires when the now Auburn quarterback was still at Pinson Valley High School in Alabama. Mullen knew it was a long shot with Nix being an Auburn legacy but it’s recruiting, you make the calls anyway.

“I wasn’t holding my breath,” Mullen joked on Monday. “I remember watching all the high school film last year, I thought he was one of, if not the best, certainly one of the best high school quarterbacks coming out in the class. We ranked him very close to the top.”

Mullen and the Gators didn’t hit on Nix but they hope to hit him this weekend when the undefeated Tigers come to Gainesville.

Nix was named the starter in August and was immediately tested with a neutral site game against Oregon. He was ok, completing 13-of-31 passes for 177 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and added 42 yards with his legs. The young quarterback has steadily progressed throughout the course of the season and continues to get more comfortable within the offense, which in turn is showing up on the field.

“Probably got a little more poise than he had earlier,” Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said Monday. “Really good athlete that can make guys miss, very competitive guy on tape that works hard at knowing where to go with the ball, both from a pass standpoint but also on the quarterback designed runs, whether I give it, keep it, do I throw it to a guy on an access route. He’s progressing really nicely for them.”

Nix is coming off of his best game, one that put him in the same breath as former Gator and Tiger Cam Newton. Nix led Auburn to a 56-23 win over Mississippi State last week. The freshman threw for a career high 335 yards and two scores, while rushing for 56 yards and another touchdown. He’s the first Auburn quarterback to throw for 300 and rush for at least 50 yards in the same game since Newton did so in the 2010 SEC Championship game.

This won’t be the first road test for the freshman, Nix and Auburn went to Kyle Field and handled Texas A&M two weeks ago but the Gators pan to be less than hospitable hosts this week.

“The objective is to hit him,” defensive tackle Kyree Campbell said. “He’s a freshman quarterback but he protects himself a lot. Every chance we get to hit him we’re going to try to hit him.”

Nix isn’t alone on the offense though. The Tigers have a slew of talented playmakers around him and they can make you pay if you get away from your assignments. So while the goal will be to get to and rattle a freshman quarterback, that can’t hinder the scheme and gameplan as a whole.

Auburn is second in the SEC rushing for an average of 251 yards per game. They have five players with more than 100 yards rushing this season led by sophomore running back JaTarvious Whitlow. Auburn runs a spread and they look to get defenses out of their gaps and out of lanes. Florida’s defense has been susceptible that this season, so it’s an obvious emphasis this week in practice.

“You’ve just got to make sure you have the edges of the defense set. You’ve got proper containment coverage on the quarterback. And then you have to build a wall inside to be stout,” Grantham said. “They do a good job on their downhill runs of trying to move and create space and then guys start squeezing or maybe overcommitting too much on that and he pops it loose and gets on the edge. It’s a total team effort. You just got to be able to make sure you play your gap, your responsibility.”

It’s going to be the biggest test for both teams on Saturday night. ESPN’s college gameday is in town, it’s homecoming and there will be a lot going on all day on Saturday. It’s a huge game and an easy one to get excited for.

“I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for this,” Campbell said. “This is big boy ball right here.”

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC