When the 2025 season begins, Tyrone Nix will begin his fourth season at Tarleton State as the defensive coordinator and his second as Assistant Head Coach, with his promotion announced on July 26, 2024. He will also lead the inside linebackers for the third straight season after leading the safeties in 2022.
“Tyrone Nix is a tremendous leader of young men and has done great things for our program," Whitten said as he announced his promotion. "He deserves this opportunity and I know he will continue to do great things here at Tarleton State."
"It's a tremendous honor that Coach Whitten has given me this opportunity," Nix said at the time of his promotion. "I truly feel blessed that he sees me as someone who has the qualities that it takes to have these type of responsibilities. The guys I work with on a daily basis and the way our kids have performed have helped elevate me to this position. I have learned so much from Coach Whitten and the way he orchestrates this team and the leadership he provides. I'm thankful that he thinks enough of me to be a part of this staff and hopefully we can help continue to guide the Texans in winning ways."
The Texans just posted a historic campaign in 2024, going 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. On Nov. 30, 13-seed Tarleton hosted Drake in the first round of the FCS Playoffs winning 43-29 at Memorial Stadium. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Two of those five teams comprised of the four-team playoff field in that initial round of the FCS Playoffs – Florida A&M and UMass, in 1978. The other two programs are currently in the FBS; Troy in 1993 and UCF in 1990. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility. They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State). Tarleton State was named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason. The Texans were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova. Tarleton State started 2024 7-1, with a six-game winning streak, their best start and their longest winning streak in the D1 era. Defensively, Tarleton ranked tied-third in the country in takeaways with 29 (first in conference), including the tied-fifth most interceptions (18) and tied-eighth most fumble recoveries (11). The Texans were second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 24.6 points per game. Tarleton State allowed fewer than 20 points in six different games, including a 42-0 shutout on Homecoming against the UAC’s Utah Tech. Nix had four defensive players make UAC All-Conference after the season, with defensive lineman Brandon Tolvert on First Team, and linebacker Ty Rawls, defensive back Kasyus Kurns and defensive back Donta Stuart on Second Team.
In 2023, the final year of the program’s four-year NCAA Division I reclassification, Nix helped the Texans to their best record as a Division I school, finishing 8-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. They finished second in the standings in the United Athletic Conference’s inaugural season, despite being picked to finish sixth in the 2023 Preseason UAC Coaches Poll. As a defense, the Texans were stout under Nix. His unit was tops in the conference in yards per play allowed (4.76), defensive touchdowns (four, tied-fourth in FCS) and fumbles recovered (11, tied-ninth in FCS). The unit was also tied for third among the UAC in takeaways (18) and tackles for loss (65), while allowing the fourth fewest points per game (24.5). The Texans held four opponents to 17 points or fewer, including Tarleton’s first shutout in nearly three years, a 42-0 blitzing of Morehead State on homecoming. Nix coached three players to All-Conference honors in 2023. This included two on the First Team -- linebacker Qua'Shawn Washington and defensive back Patrick Jones -- and defensive lineman Josh Griffis on the Second Team.
Tarleton turned in a 6-5 record in Nix’s first season at the helm of the Texan defense. The 2022 Tarleton defense held four opponents under 14 points, going 4-0 in those games. The Nix-led defense opened the season with a bang, holding Mississippi Valley State to just 13 total points, 273 total yards, 73 passing yards and forced six punts. A 41-6 shellacking of Eastern New Mexico saw Nix’s defense hold the Greyhounds without a touchdown and limited them to 112 total yards on the day to pair with the Texans forcing three turnovers. A 24-10 win over Southwest Baptist was once again another impressive performance as they held SBU to just 62 yards rushing and intercepted two passes. Tarleton ended the season with a 49-7 win over Houston Christian as Nix’s defense held the Huskies to just 10 first downs, -21 net rushing yards and a -0.8 average yards per rush while forcing four turnovers. The Texans also forced a season-high 10 punts to go with nine tackles for loss and two sacks. Nix helped coach DB Donovan Banks to First Team All-WAC honors as well as linebackers Patrick Jones and Qua’Shawn Washington landing on the All-WAC Second Team.
“Tyrone Nix has proven to be an elite defensive coach for decades and has been around some of the best minds in college football for several years," head coach Todd Whitten said at the time of Nix’s hire.
Nix has been a Division I coach for over 25 years, serving as the defensive coordinator for five previous D1 programs, including Ole Miss and South Carolina. Before Tarleton, he was most recently the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at UTSA in 2020.
“I’m grateful for the chance to join this elite program that has quickly shown they belong in NCAA Division I,” Nix said when he arrived in Stephenville. “I know my near-three decades’ worth of experience at this level of college football along with the gifts and talents God has anointed me with can help elevate Tarleton Football even further, and I can’t wait to get started. I want to thank God, Coach Whitten, Coach Reisman and Dr. Hurley for this opportunity.”
Including his three seasons at Tarleton State, Nix has spent 20 years as a defensive coordinator at the D1 level, holding that title at Tarleton State (2022-24), UTSA (2020), Middle Tennessee (2012-16), Ole Miss (2008-11), South Carolina (2005-07) and Southern Miss (2001-04). His other titles and stops include outside linebackers coach at Ole Miss (2019), safeties coach at Virginia Tech (2018), defensive analyst at Texas A&M (2017), and numerous defensive position titles among his full tenure at Southern Miss from 1995-2004.
Nix had two stints at Ole Miss, one as the defensive coordinator (2008-11) and one as the linebackers coach (2019). In his stint as the defensive coordinator, his defenses were respected throughout the SEC. In 2008, the Rebel defense ranked fourth in the nation in rushing defense (86.5 YPG) and coached a first-round draft pick in DT Peria Jerry. He also coached up DT Jerrell Powe to multiple All-SEC honors. In 2009 the Rebels finished the season with 92 tackles for loss and 34 sacks, totals good for first and second in the SEC, respectively. Ole Miss made bowl appearances in back-to-back seasons in 2008-09.
Nix spent one season in Blacksburg with Virginia Tech in 2018. The Hokies won six games and made an appearance in the Military Bowl. Nix’s defense held Florida State to three points, Duke to 14 points and North Carolina to 19 points, all wins.
As a defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee from 2012-16, Nix and the Blue Raiders saw great success. The defense in 2015 ranked fourth nationally in red zone defense (.694), eighth in defensive touchdowns (four) and 14th in interceptions (17), while forcing 25 turnovers. He coached 13 all-conference selections and two NFL players in Kevin Byard and Jimmy Staten. The Blue Raiders did not experience a losing season with Nix on staff.
Nix’s first stop in the SEC was at South Carolina where he spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator. In 2006, the Gamecocks allowed just 18.7 points per contest. South Carolina led the SEC and ranked fifth in the nation in pass defense in 2007. Two-time All-Pro honoree and two-time Pro Bowler Jonathon Joseph learned under Nix’s tutelage.
Nix spent 10 seasons with his alma mater Southern Miss in various roles ranging from coaching outside linebackers, defensive backs, and he also spent time as the defensive coordinator beginning in 2001. From 2001-03, the Golden Eagles ranked in the top-15 in the country in scoring defense and pass defense each season.
In all, Nix has coached at eight different Division I programs, spending 15 years in Conference USA, nine years in the Southeastern Conference, one year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, one year in the Sun Belt Conference, two years in the United Athletic Conference, and one year in the Western Athletic Conference. He’s a former Broyles Award finalist, given to the nation’s top assistant coach. In the SEC, Nix elevated as high as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at both Ole Miss, under head coach Houston Nutt, and at South Carolina, under head coach Steve Spurrier.
The Attalla, Alabama, native, played four years at linebacker for Southern Miss from 1990-93 before returning to coach at his alma mater for 10 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Miss in 1995. Nix’s brother Derrick is the wide receivers coach for Ole Miss. Tyrone Nix is married to Toya Nix and they have two children – a son, Ty, and a daughter, Tiah.
