Auburn captains named for week 1 vs Akron

Auburn announced their captains for their Week One matchup against Akron. Quarterback Bo Nix and center Nick Brahms were announced as honorary captains, joining permanent captains Owen Pappoe and Chandler Wooten.

Nix enters his third season as the starting quarterback for Auburn, and his first under new head coach Bryan Harsin.

In two seasons, Nix has thrown for 4,957 yards, 28 touchdown passes and 14 touchdown runs. This offseason, Auburn brought in LSU transfer quarterback TJ Finley, who pushed for the starting role, but Nix ultimately fended him off in fall camp.

Brahms is entering his fifth season at Auburn with 21 career starts to his name. Brahms first saw action in 2018 against Arkansas State and took over the starting center role midway through the year against Arkansas. Brahms has been on the SEC academic honor roll all four years of his career so far.

The center and quarterback will look to turn around an offense that ranked 77th in yards per game last season. Auburn lost wide receivers Eli Stove, Anthony Schwartz and Seth Williams this offseason. Entering 2021, Shedrick Jackson, Ja’Varrius Johnson and Georgia transfer Demetris Robertson will look to replace the production left behind. The Tigers do return starting running back Tank Bigsby, who will be relied upon in his second season.

The two permanent Auburn captains, Pappoe and Wooten, were voted on by the players. Harsin recently shared a story on Wooten’s rise from opting out of the 2020 season to becoming one of two permanent captains in 2021.

“So let me tell you, my first meeting with Chandler (Wooten) I knew that about him,” Harsin said regarding Wooten opting out in 2020. “So I’m questioning his commitment. The first time I met him and understand this, I didn’t know him. And we had a great conversation. He’s a family man and I said ‘What is it about you that I need to know’ and he said ‘I can lead. I’m a leader.'”

Harsin continued.

“From that point on, I don’t know what it was,” Harsin said. “I think he and I connected, but he’s been exactly that ever since I’ve known him. He works hard he shows up every day. I’ve got a deep appreciation for him, I care tremendously for him. I see him obviously as a football player on this team but as a man, as a father. This was a special moment for him.”