Nix faces high expectations as Ducks starting QB

[aubiefifty 16,761]

Oregon football: Bo Nix faces high expectations as Ducks starting QB

Austin Nivison

4-5 minutes

---

Manage

 

Oregon receives commitment from Top247 WR Jurrion Dickey

 

After transferring to Oregon, Bo Nix appears to have won the starting quarterback role in Eugene. Now, Nix will be expected to lead one of the better offensive units in the country.

Matt Prehm of Duck Territory joined the Cover 3 Podcast to discuss the expectations for Nix this fall. Because of the great quarterbacks Oregon has developed in the past, Nix has some big shoes to fill in 2022. Despite that pressure, Nix rose to the challenge throughout spring practice. Prehm said Nix has given the program reason to believe that he can get the job done.

“It’s hard to be a quarterback at Oregon,” Prehm said. “There’s a lot of expectations. To be honest, some of it’s unfair and unrealistic just because of the run of guys that they’ve had. Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Kellen Clemens, Darron Thomas, (Jeremiah) Masoli, (Marcus) Mariota, (Justin) Herbert, and Vernon Adams. All of those guys were some of the best quarterbacks in college football the years they were in school. That’s kind of the expectation when you get to Oregon, which is kind of ridiculous when you’ve got to be a top-10 quarterback nationally.

“For Bo, there was certainly some, ‘Really? They’re taking Bo Nix? That’s strange. He beat Oregon in 2019. Bo Nix wasn’t really phenomenal at Auburn. That’s the guy they’re gonna take?’ As he’s been with the program, as he’s spoken to the media, and certainly with the spring game and his performance, the more he is out in public the more he wins over the program and the fan base. I think the expectation for Bo is that he’s the shot caller for one of the best offenses in the country. I’m not gonna sit here and say they’re gonna be top five or top 10, but the expectation is they’re a top-25 offense. They’re prolific in running and throwing the football, and he’s going to be the trigger man for that. That’s kind of the expectation.”

Nix had an uneven career at Auburn, but he has the chance to take his development to the next level at Oregon. Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports wrote that Nix has a major opportunity with the Ducks.

“The Ducks will live and die with Bo Nix: The former Auburn signal-caller has shown moments of both brilliance and despair in his tumultuous college career, but he has a chance to be the face of a program again in Eugene,” Jeyarajah wrote. “Top running backs Travis Dye and CJ Verdell are out. Top receiver Devon Williams entered the draft. Defensively, All-Americans Kayvon Thibodeaux and Verone McKinley are gone. Oregon opens against defending national champion Georgia, and it's difficult to see any place where the Ducks can quickly find upside with a new staff outside of Nix.”

4COMMENTS

Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today.

Nix started all three years at Auburn, including passing for 2,542 yards and 16 touchdowns with six interceptions as a true freshman. But Nix never quite took that next step, following with 2,415 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a sophomore before playing in 10 games last year, setting career-highs in completion percentage (61.0), passing yards per game (229.4) and passer rating (130.0), while throwing 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.

">247Sports