Let’s start with this: Auburn’s starting quarterback Bo Nix is not Jalen Hurts. The two players are different in a lot of ways, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some lessons that Nix can learn from Hurts.

And no, we aren’t talking about the NFL rookie version of Hurts. We’re talking about the Hurts from 2017. The Alabama quarterback who was going into his sophomore season after being named SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a true freshman.

That Hurts. The dynamic dual-threat play-maker who wasn’t fully developed as a passer. That’s the one Nix can learn from.

As a first-year quarterback playing in the SEC, Hurts threw for 2,780 yards, 23 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions while also adding 954 yards and 13 scores on the ground. He also helped Alabama reach the national championship before losing to Clemson 35-31.

Nix didn’t lead Auburn to the National Championship Game as a true freshman. But he was named the SEC Freshman Player of the Year. And he did help the Tigers to an 8-5 record while beating top rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

In other words, there’s hype around Nix going into his second season — and it isn’t solely because of his recruiting status as a 5-star prospect back in 2019.

What did we see from Hurts Alabama quarterback during his second season, however? Well, we saw him regress. Maybe regress is too strong. Some of Hurts’ passing numbers actually improved a bit, but Alabama’s offense seemed far too predictable and safe.

Hurts put up a miraculous stat line while having a 17-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but in his case, limited turnovers actually meant limited offense for Alabama. He didn’t want to take chances with the football, and while that’s normally a good thing, it wasn’t in this case.

The scoring offense for the Crimson Tide didn’t seem to suffer much on paper. It went from being ranked No. 15 while averaging 38.8 points to being ranked No. 15 and averaging 37.1 points. Crucial moments during big games were the issue, and it showed up time and again in 2017 with Hurts as the starter.

The difference was noticeably different almost every time backup QB Tua Tagovailoa entered the game. Tagovailoa attempted just 77 passes that season, but 11 of his 49 completions (22.4%) went for 20 yards or more. Hurts attempted 255 passes that year, but just 31 of his completions covered 20+ yards.

Granted, having an eventual record-breaker standing beside Nick Saban no doubt created tremendous pressure for Hurts. But the reservation that Hurts played with hindered the offense, and it’s something Nix needs to make sure he avoids in Year 2.

In other words, Nix needs to avoid playing with fear. There’s a reason he was a 5-star prospect coming out of Pinson Valley. He’s oozing with talent. He just has to play like it. Zero fear.

Like Hurts, Nix earned praise and recognition during his first season in the SEC. He totaled 2,855 yards (2,542 passing, 313 rushing) and 23 combined touchdowns while only throwing 6 interceptions.

But also like Hurts, there are some areas of concern with Nix.

The biggest knock on both was accuracy. Hurts completed 63% of his passes as a freshman, but that number was padded by frequent screens and touch passes on sweeps. His downfield accuracy frequently was called into question and was the reason some were calling for Tagovailoa even sooner.

The issue is even more glaring with Nix, who completed just 57% of his passes last season. That’s one reason he averaged just 6.7 yards per attempt, which was 9th among 12 SEC QBs with more than 150 attempts.

Nix’s inconsistency and a lack of efficiency are causes for concern, especially if those areas aren’t significantly improved this season.

The spectacular throws, the dual-threat factor and the overall play-making ability are all there, but those “wow” plays need to happen with more consistency. There’s also gaining more confidence within the offense, both in preparation and execution. Becoming more reliable going through progressions with that same level of confidence.

Those are things that Hurts didn’t do well enough during his sophomore season. And it’s a major reason Tagovailoa, who proved his confidence didn’t waver after mistakes, was able to take over the starting duties in 2018.

Hurts learned some of those lessons from Tagovailoa during that 2018 season, and he looked exponentially better during his limited time on the field as a result. He obviously continued to grow as a quarterback, but it was his ability to play confidently that showed up the most in those big moments against Georgia in the 2018 SEC Championship Game.

Considering what people thought of Nix coming out of high school, it is surprising to see so many people predicting stagnant play or even regression in Year 2. Yes, he’s learning a new offense with Chad Morris now the offensive coordinator, but there’s a lot to like about his 2020 outlook — even with an all-SEC schedule.

Trust the play-caller. Trust the play-makers around you. And most of all, trust your own talent.