OXFORD — The Ole Miss football team has hired Tyrone Nix as its new assistant coach for linebackers, coach Matt Luke announced Wednesday.
Nix, a 24-year coaching veteran, joins the
program after spending last
season at Virginia Tech, where he coached safeties.
“We are continuing to add invaluable experience to our staff with the addition of coach Nix to our defense.” Luke said. “His tough-minded approach, along with his familiarity with our program and the state of Mississippi, make him a perfect fit for our program and an asset on the recruiting front.”
Nix returns to Oxford for his second stint with the Ole Miss program after working on the Rebels’ staff from 2008-11 as a defensive coordinator. He will join his brother, Derrick, who is running backs coach.
Prior to his one season in Blacksburg, Virginia, Nix spent the 2017 campaign as a defensive analyst at Texas A&M.
After Nix’s first stint with Ole Miss, he served five seasons at Middle Tennessee working as co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach from 2012-14 and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach from 2015-16. He tutored a pair of NFL Draft choices for the Blue Raiders in DT Jimmy Staten and S Kevin Byard, who earned a Pro Bowl berth following the 2017 season with the Tennessee Titans.
A collegiate linebacker at Southern Mississippi, he embarked on his coaching career at his alma mater as defensive tackles coach in 1995, beginning a decade-long run that also saw him coach outside linebackers (1996-99) and defensive backs (2000). He was elevated to defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach, a position he held from 2001-04.
Nix enjoyed his initial stint as a defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference, serving in that role and also coaching linebackers for coach Steve Spurrier at South Carolina (2005-07).
The Attalla, Alabama, native served as defensive coordinator under Houston Nutt at Ole Miss (2008-11).
Nix was a four-year letterman at linebacker for Southern Miss from 1990-93. He completed his bachelor’s degree in 1995.
Nix and his wife, Toya, have two children — a son, Ty, and a daughter, Tiah.
n Auburn rehires ex-Ole Miss defensive coordinator McGriff: At Auburn, Alabama, Auburn has rehired former Ole Miss defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff as an assistant coach.
McGriff, whose hiring was announced Wednesday, was on coach Gus Malzahn’s staff in 2016. He spent the past two seasons running the Rebels’ defense.
Ole Miss announced the day after the regular season ended that McGriff wouldn’t return next year.
McGriff previously worked as Auburn’s secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator after three years as an assistant with the New Orleans Saints.
Auburn didn’t announce what position he will coach, but defensive backs coach Greg Brown has left.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.