Auburn relied heavily on two junior college transfers during its run to a BCS Champion-ship title in 2010. While Cam Newton garnered most of the media’s attention for his production on offense, it was Nick Fairley who provided the Tigers with a disruptive interior force on the defensive side of the ball. Fairley’s effort didn’t go unnoticed, as he was presented with the Rotary Lombardi Trophy, awarded annually to college football’s top lineman.
Fairley earned consensus All-American recognition and was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the year after placing third in the NCAA in tackles for loss (1.71 tpg) and 12th in sacks (.82 spg). The junior broke Auburn’s single-season record with 11.5 sacks for minus 74 yards, topping the previous mark of 11 reached by Gary Walker (1994),
Kevin Greene (1984) and Craig Ogletree (1989). It was nearly impossible to keep the defensive tackle out of the backfield, as he posted an impressive 24.0 tackles for losses totaling 106 yards and 21 quarterback hurries.
Fairley has had a profound impact on the Tigers’ front four. Before his arrival, the Auburn run defense ranked 54th
nationally, allowing 138.92 yards per game on the ground in 2008. Fairley played in all 13 games in 2009 but started just two contests while his team finished a lowly 78th vs. the run (156.08 ypg). He started all 14 games of the 2010 season and emerged as a dominant presence along the Tigers’ front wall, leading a unit that boasted the NCAA’s ninth-ranked rushing defense, allowing just 109.07 yards per game.
Fairley was a standout on both sides of the trenches at Lillie B. Williamson High School (Mobile, Ala.). His blocking raded out at 97 percent on offense while he tallied over 90 tackles on defense. He was a finalist for the 5A Lineman of the Year Award and was a 5A All-State selection by the ASWA.
Recruiting services viewed Fairley more as an offensive line prospect coming out of high school. He was given a threestar rating by Rivals.com, who listed him as the 28th-best offensive guard in the nation and the 15th overall prospect from the state of Alabama. Scout.com also rated him a three-star prospect and ranked him as the 27th-best offensive guard in the country. He was also listed as the 32nd offensive tackle recruit by ESPN.com.
He was offered scholarships from several universities, including Auburn, Alabama, Kansas State, Louisville, Southern
Mississippi and West Virginia. Auburn recruited Fairley as a defensive end and he elected to commit to the Tigers on signing day.
Fairley improved his grades first in Wesson, Mississippi, where he signed with Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 2007. He enrolled late and was allowed to redshirt his first year to retain eligibility. In 2008, he earned an All-Region XII selection after collecting 63 tackles with seven sacks and nine stops for loss in seven games.
Fairley was rated a four-star defensive tackle according to Scout’s junior college rankings, while Rivals listed him as a three-star prospect. A few schools tried to make a run at the standout defensive lineman, but Fairley never wavered on his commitment to Auburn.
Fairley finally enrolled at the University of Auburn in 2009 and played in all 13 games during his first season at the FBS level. He started the season opener vs. Louisiana Tech and the Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern, finishing the year with 28 tackles (36 solos), including 1.5 sacks for minus 15 yards and 3.5 stops for losses totaling 20 yards. He added seven quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
In 2010, Fairley enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him earn SEC Defensive Lineman or Defensive Player of the Week honors on five occasions. He appeared unblockable at times and finished the year ranking fifth on the team with 60 tackles (36 solos), including 11.5 sacks for minus 74 yards and 24.0 stops for losses totaling 106 yards. He added 21 quarterback hurries, two forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Auburn was pitted against the Oregon Ducks in the BCS Championship game and the two team’s high-powered offensive attacks garnered all of the talk leading into the matchup. However, it was Fairley and the Auburn defense that stole the show, holding a Ducks unit that had averaged 49.33 points per game to just 19 points in a close victory. Fairley earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors after registering five solo tackles with one sack for minus seven yards, three stops for losses of 14 yards and one forced fumble to put a fitting end to a stellar junior season.
