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Cole Cubelic points to what Bo Nix needs to do to have a firm grasp on QB job
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When Auburn takes the field against Akron on Saturday, much of the focus will be on quarterback Bo Nix and how he performs in the first game of the Bryan Harsin regime.
The 6-3, 214-pound junior has been a polarizing figure in his two years with the Tigers. He has shown signs of being a game-changing quarterback during his career, but he’s also been prone to plenty of mistakes, both physical and mental.
On Wednesday during the “McElroy and Cubelic in The Morning” radio show on WJOX in Birmingham, Alabama, ESPN and SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic discussed in detail what he is looking for from Nix in the opener against Akron.
9-1 McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning Hour 1: @colecubelic travel stories and a discussion on what to look out for with Bo Nix in week 1 https://t.co/hmgPiCGzCi
— McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning (@macandcube) September 1, 2021
While Cubelic doesn’t think the Zips will pose much of a challenge for Auburn, he thinks it’s important that Nix set the tone Saturday that he’s the clear leader on the offensive side of the ball.
“For him to go out there and prove to me that (the job) is his and that it’s going to continue to be his, I want to see him act more as a quarterback,” said Cubelic, who played center for Auburn from 1996-2001. “I want to see him understand the position, play the position more as someone who knows what comes with that, and that is game-situation decisions, which there might not be a ton of against Akron.”
Cubelic added that he will also be paying close attention to the interactions between Nix and his teammates, both on an off the field, to see how Nix handles himself in a leadership role.
“I think it’s more about poise,” Cubelic said. “How does he manage the people around him? How does he manage things at the line of scrimmage? Does he have confidence going through his progressions? Those are the things I want to see in this game, Those are all the little things that I’m going to be dissecting.”
Nix is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he passed for 2,415 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, He also added 388 yards and 7 TDs on the ground.
"Chris Wallace covers college football for Saturday Down South. He has covered college athletics for multiple newspapers and also worked previously for Rivals.com and GolfChannel.com."
