From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
AUBURN — When the Auburn Tigers take the field to open the 2019 season versus the Oregon Ducks, Pinson Valley’s Bo Nix will be under center.
Nix had been in a tight race for the number one quarterback position with redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood before coach Gus Malzahn announced on Tuesday that the true freshman Nix would get the start.
Nix led the Pinson Valley Indians to back-to-back 6A state championships as a junior and senior.
In 2018, Nix eclipsed 10,000 passing yards in his career, joining only three other quarterbacks to do so in the state. Before the end of the season, he became the all-time leader in total yards, surpassing 12,000 yards in his career. Nix scored two touchdowns in the championship game, tying the record for total touchdowns in his career.
His father and high school head coach, Patrick Nix, started at quarterback for Auburn in the 90s.
Joe Cochran, the executive director of the Pinson Education Foundation, said Bo Nix is accomplishing a lifelong dream. Cochran said the entire community is proud of Nix.
“Pinson is more proud of him than we could ever be,” said Cochran. “It’s a big deal. This is the first freshman quarterback to start in the first game at Auburn since 1946.”
