AUBURN | Auburn’s new staff is still in the beginning stages of installing a new offense and determining what parts of that offense will work and won’t work with the existing talent.

That’s a process that takes time, but it’s a big help when two of your best offensive players happen to be two of your hardest workers and most invested in the program.

That’s one important area new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo can rely on this spring with quarterback Bo Nix and running back Tank Bigsby.

“I’ve made that point to our staff and I think I made it to Coach (Bryan) Harsin a month or so ago, that some of our hardest workers are the ones that are considered our better players right now coming into spring ball,” said Bobo.

“These guys, every single day, how they approach their workouts, how they go about their business, how they’re serious in the meetings, learn, question – they’re setting the right example for the other guys on the football team, other guys on offense.”

Nix, who has started 24 consecutive games, really started turning heads with the new staff during winter workouts.

“Just his work ethic, No. 1, in the offseason conditioning and the weight program and the stuff we did with Coach Pitt and the strength staff and how hard he works,” said Bobo. “Quarterbacks usually work hard when they’re out there. They’re one of the hardest workers on the team.

“But he has an athletic skillset where he competes with the skill guys on our football team. It’s very, very impressive, his athletic skillset.”

Bigsy, who was named SEC Freshman of the Year after rushing for 834 yards and five touchdowns, is in the same mold as Nix. He certainly impresses during workouts, but it’s his commitment to learning and pushing himself to be the best that stands out to Bobo the most.

“That's our job as coaches to continue to push guys. The great ones have it in them. They always want to get better and they always push themselves. Tank has that in him, and that makes your job a lot easier when guys like Tank are hungry to get better,” Bobo said.

“I was over here yesterday and scripting for today's practice, and he's coming up here to see Coach Cadillac, you know, to talk some ball, just showing up in his office to make sure he's on the same page. He's calling Coach (Will) Friend, he's calling Coach Harsin, he's calling me. He's serious about wanting to be the best player he can be -- not just for himself, but for Auburn.”

Bobo sees that same work ethic and commitment from at least one player on the other side of the ball.

“Owen Pappoe is like that on defense, the way he works, the way he goes about his business,” said Bobo. “I think that’s, when you come into a program and you’re looking for guys and looking for players that that hang what you’re doing on them and let them carry the torch. Guys like that are the ones you want doing that.”

Auburn will practice for a fourth time this spring Monday afternoon as the players don full pads for the first time.