Patrick Nix, father of Auburn QB Bo Nix, takes job as head coach of Central-Phenix City football team

by: Chuck Williams

Posted: Jan 14, 2020 / 11:39 AM CST

Updated: Jan 14, 2020 / 04:36 PM CST

UPDATED (4:30 p.m.) PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WIAT) — It appears to have taken Central High School a week to find a new head football coach. And it will be a name many in the state of Alabama will instantly recognize.

WRBL reported the Phenix City Board of Education has unanimously approved the hiring of Patrick Nix, football coach at Pinson Valley Coach and a former former quarterback at Auburn University, to head the Central-Phenix football team. The vote took place during a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

There had been speculation on the social media site Twitter Tuesday morning that Nix was heading to Central. Several Auburn football message boards have talked about the possibility of Nix going to Central.

The Trussville Tribune reported that Nix met with his Pinson Valley team Tuesday morning to break the news. Nix led Pinson Valley to state 6A titles in 2017 and 2018. Like Central, Pinson Valley lost in the state championship game this season.

Nix replaced Jamey DuBose, who retired last week to take the head coaching job at Lowndes in Valdosta, Ga. DuBose led Central to the Alabama High School Athletic Association 7A state title in 2018. The Red Devils lost to Thompson in the state championship last season.

DuBose was 66-11 at Central and made the playoffs all six seasons.

The same scenario played out with DuBose’s departure. He told players in Phenix City then went to Valdosta, where there was a called board meeting. He was hired at that meeting.

Nix has spent the last three years as head coach at Pinson Valley, near Birmingham. He coached his son, Bo, who started for Auburn as a true freshman last year.

The move to Phenix City would put Nix closer to Auburn, where his son is playing.

Nix has coached on the high school and collegiate level since leaving Auburn in 1995. He has coached collegiately at Jacksonville State, Henderson State, Samford, Georgia Tech, Miami and Charleston Southern.

He held the offensive coordinator jobs at Georgia Tech and Miami.

In 2013, he returned to his Alabama high school roots, taking the head coaching job at Scottsboro High School. After three seasons, he moved to Pinson Valley in 2017.

Nix’s father, Conrad, was a highly successful Georgia high school coach who won more than 300 games and led Northside-Warner Robins to back-to-back state titles before retiring in 2009.