Ducks need Nix to emerge as the star of Celebrity Quarterback Rehab

At Oregon, Bo Nix has all the tools to be better 
than he ever has: veteran offensive line, strong 
running game, talented receivers, and an OC
who believes in him.

 Bo Nix was a three-year starter in the vaunted SEC, but all three years were decidedly mediocre.

The former five-star recruit finished 84th, 82nd and 85th in passer rating over his tenure with the Tigers, throwing 16 touchdowns as a true freshman, 12 and 11 as a sophomore and repeat-sophomore.

In 2021 he was the 9th-rated passer in the conference.

Last fall the Pinson, Alabama native shredded the Akron Zips for 275 touchdowns and three TDs on 20-22 passing. Against Georgia and Texas A&M, though, his two toughest opponents, he was harassed and ineffective, 41-79 for 370 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 INTs.

He missed the last two games with a broken ankle as the team finished 6-6.

Already some Oregon fan sites are questioning new coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham for entrusting their first season in Eugene to the Auburn retread. True, Nix is a former five-star with a lot of game experience, but most of that experience is bad. In fact, Oregon's new number 10 and the starter-apparent had worse numbers than Anthony Brown did as a junior at Boston College.

Yesterday Fishduck writer Dazenconfused wrote, "Brown averaged 9.1 yards per completion, while posting a passer rating of 154.5, while Nix averaged 7.1 yards with a passer rating of 130."

Still, if you can't be optimistic in August, why invest yourself in a college football team? 

Yet it's always better to know the facts before you choose to ignore them.

Here's the beginning of the case for hope: Fifteen years ago Oregon hired a young, high-energy offensive coordinator with a knack for scheming plays and getting players to believe in themselves. 

The year was 2007. The Ducks were coming off a 7-6 season that ended with an embarrassing loss to BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. 

There was a quarterback competition, and the more athletic and talented guy, Dennis Dixon, entered fall camp in head coach Mike Bellotti's doghouse after deciding to skip summer workouts to play minor league baseball.

The season before as a third-year sophomore Dixon had been a decidedly mediocre quarterback. There were flashes of "Whoa Nellie!" athleticism and speed, but over 12 games he threw just 12 touchdown passes against 14 interceptions, compiling a passer rating of 120.7.

You know the rest. Under the tutelage of Chip Kelly, Dixon exploded as a junior, tossing 20 TDs with only four INTs. He led the Ducks to an 8-1 start and a number-one ranking before a debacle in the desert.

DD blew out all three ligaments in his knee while running mate Jonathan Stewart limped through the final few games with a debilitating case of turf toe.

Still, in those nine magical games Dixon had those chain-mail-wearing, Nike-clad Ducks on the cusp of their first national championship, with maybe the most explosive and exciting offense they'd ever had. His passer rating jumped 40 points to 161.2 while his completion percentage climbed from 61%  to just under 68%. The average gain per pass attempt rocketed from 6.7 to 8.4.

Historic wins over Michigan and USC highlighted their rise to #1.

Understand the nuance: Nix isn't Dixon. He isn't the gliding runner with afterburners and hands that can make a football disappear. 

The point of the comparison is that a quarterback can make huge gains in effectiveness in the right situation. Like Dixon, at UO Nix will enjoy a veteran offensive line, a strong running game, a talented cast of receivers (this year's group may be the most explosive in Eugene in 20 years) and a coordinator who believes in him.

Factor in the trust and experience, a fresh start and a supportive fan base, the new-found stability Nix has attained from his recent marriage, and there's a case to be made for hope, for dramatic improvement.

Expectations remain high in Oregon football and among the fan base. Success means 10 wins and a conference championship.

Under Lanning and Tosh Lupoi, with Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe anchoring the middle and Brandon Dorlus and DJ Johnson providing the havoc, this new defense has the potential to be special. To reach Las Vegas, though, the Ducks need Nix to make a Dixon-like leap.