‘Every day at practice is a Heisman moment to us’: How Bo Nix made himself an elite QB
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Paolo Uggetti, ESPN
EUGENE, OR. — The temperature is slowly dropping below 50 degrees at Autzen Stadium on a Saturday night in November and a sleeveless Bo Nix is warming up his right arm by lacing 60-yard tosses from the Oregon end zone.
Nix isn’t just playing catch; he’s changing the types of throws every time. Throws off his back foot, throws while rolling to his right, throws while sliding to his left, throws while sauntering up in the pocket, throws while moving back — Nix wants to have all of them dialed in before he takes on USC.
While the practice itself isn’t novel, for Nix, it’s emblematic of his evolution. The 23-year-old has had a college career that started in one decade and is about to end in another. It’s no surprise then that the quarterback he was, at 18 years old, is not the quarterback he now is, at 23.
Maturation has played a role, but so has the work he put in to transform himself into one of the best quarterbacks in the sport, capable of making every throw in the book, not just because of his physical ability but because of his progression from a player who was known for his mistakes as much as his magic, to one who has become an anchor on and off the field for one of the best teams in the country.
“A lot of people think they’re [leaders], but they’re not really self-aware,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said of Nix. “There’s probably not a more self-aware person in the world than Bo Nix. And he knows his strengths, he knows his weaknesses, he can identify his thoughts. He’s out there and is able to lead and communicate with other players on our team.”
It’s all led to an impressive final college football season for Nix, who has thrown for 3,135 yards, 29 touchdowns and only two interceptions so far this season. Following a breakout first season in Eugene, Nix has built on his improvements, taking his efficiency to the next level and completing 78% of his passes — a mark that tops the nation — while also recording eight plays of 60 yards or more. His 29-to-2 touchdown-to-interception rate is by far the best of his career.
“I’m just really comfortable right now,” Nix said. “I’m seeing defenses really well and I’m super comfortable with our plan.”
With two games left in the regular season, Nix is a Heisman Trophy contender leading an Oregon team that has conference title aspirations and College Football Playoff hopes. After years of being a quarterback with as many ups as downs, Nix has become not just steady, but elite as well.
“Every day at practice is a Heisman moment to us,” wide receiver Tez Johnson said after Nix’s 412-yard, four-touchdown performance against USC. “We see it every day, so what he did tonight, it was normal.”
“WE LOVE YOU, BO!”
After 60 minutes of handling USC on both sides of the ball, a triumphant Nix jogs off the field to some of the loudest cheers of the night. With pockets of fans calling out his name, Nix looks at home far away from where his college journey began.
There’s a certain ironic improbability to the guy who is from Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and spent most of his life in Alabama ending up finding comfort and success in a place 2,500 miles west. But two seasons in Eugene have now made it clear that the change of scenery was crucial to altering the course and subsequent legacy of Nix’s college career.
At Auburn, where he was from 2019 through 2021, Nix was a bolt of lightning, for better or worse. He burst onto the scene as a freshman with a comeback win over Oregon, of all teams, that immediately vaulted him on a platform. On The Plains, everything he did well, and not so well, over the next three seasons became magnified.
Despite flashes of greatness and wins like the 2019 Iron Bowl, Nix’s completion percentage didn’t cross the 60% mark during his first two seasons. He threw for 16 interceptions and was sacked 40 times over the course of three years. During his last season at Auburn, he was benched for TJ Finley before suffering a season-ending injury. At one point, Nix referred to his time at Auburn as “miserable.”
It stands to reason that, as Nix was trying to stay afloat at Auburn, he looked to outside counsel — in this case, toward David Moore, a quarterbacks coach and trainer from QB Country, a quarterback development company. Moore remembers watching Nix in high school and being awed by his arm strength. Before working with him in an official capacity, Moore would send Nix feedback and notes following his games at Auburn. Then, going into Nix’s junior season, the two started working together, and the feedback loop as well as the work ramped up.
“Sometimes, they’re mechanical, sometimes they’re more psychological,” Moore said of the notes he would send Nix. “During the season there’s so much on a kid’s plate that you want to be a soundboard, you want to encourage and refocus.”
When Moore started to work more closely with Nix, the formula for success became evident quickly: Nix had all the conventional tools to be an elite quarterback — big arm, fast-twitch ability, quickness and overall physicality — but where the improvement needed to be made was in the very act of refining how to, as Moore put it, “play quarterback.” From his decision-making to his footwork to his ability to make in-game throws, Nix had to make a shift.
In Year 1 of his time with the Ducks, and after two years with Moore, Nix leaped. He completed 72% of his passes, threw for 3,593 yards and completed 29 touchdown passes. Under Lanning and then-offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, Nix looked like more of a poised passer than ever, taking Oregon to a 10-3 record and completely revamping the perception of his play.
“He’s gotten good at what matters, check downs and not forced throws downfield,” Moore said. “His feet have gotten so much better because they’re tied to route progressions. He’s rarely too early or real late on a throw.”
Moore can get as granular as you like about how Nix isn’t “ripping” his left arm across anymore, how he’s not as tall and narrow as he once was, or even how his deep ball has improved because he isn’t elevating his front shoulder more than he needs to on such throws. But even he will note that the technical improvements would be evident only if Nix developed as a decision-maker and leader.
“That’s why I think he’s just scratching the surface in a way because he’s grown into an elite quarterback, not just an incredible thrower,” Moore said.
For Nix, the improvement was so radical that one year wasn’t enough. The Ducks didn’t win the Pac-12 or advance to the College Football Playoff last seaso, and Nix still had one more year of eligibility. So, despite having the best season of his college career, Nix not only returned for a final year, he came back better than ever.
NIX CAN’T HELP but smile. The final question of his postgame news conference had set up perfectly for him to say something positive — not about his teammates or his coaches — but about himself. Nix nearly did it but caught himself.
“It’s year five for myself, but I’m still learning different ways to prepare,” Nix said. “And I think I’ve done a good enough job, but obviously I can do better.”
The interview ended, and the local reporter who had asked the question ribbed him: “You almost did it.”
For a player who has familiarized himself plenty with the beats of what it takes to win at the college football level, it’s no surprise that Nix’s confidence, though present, lies just below the surface.
“He’s not the type of guy that wants to get his ego stroked,” Moore said. “In a meeting, he wants to know where can I improve? And I think that honest, self-critique mindset is why he’s gotten better every year.”
As Moore explains, the role getting to Eugene played in Nix’s development is not insignificant. Naturally, the influence of Dillingham and this year’s offensive coordinator, Will Stein, cannot be overstated as Nix has praised the two for how they set up his success with their playcalling. But not being in Auburn, and instead being on the West Coast where the distractions diminished, helped.
“I think sometimes when you get out of your comfort zone, it grows you and it stretches you,” Moore said.
It wasn’t so much that Nix wasn’t meant to play in the SEC as much as it now seems like he belonged in the Pac-12, where quarterback play is the currency that drives some of the nation’s best offenses. Since arriving in Eugene, Nix has transformed. The flash and subsequent erratic play maybe subsided some since those days at Jordan Hare, but in its place something far more valuable has taken hold: efficiency.
“Obviously he’s playing at a really high level,” Lanning said after the victory over USC. “His consistency, I mean, to not punt the ball in the first half speaks to his efficiency. And not all of that was him necessarily throwing the ball. It’s him getting us into the right runs, checking us into proper place, just being efficient with the ball.”
“Efficiency” is the buzz word you hear plenty coming out of Nix’s mouth and Lanning’s and really, every offensive player. After the Cal win this season when Nix completed 29 of his 38 pass attempts and threw for 386 yards and a touchdown, he was focused on something other than how well he had played.
“This is going to sound crazy but those nine incompletions. I’m serious. I really want to go 80% or better.” Nix said.
He has been above 70% in every game this season and has had two games in which he has completed 84% of his passes.
“We can be even be better, so I think that’s the part that keeps you coming back on Monday and making you go back for another week,” Nix said. “The great offenses out there don’t have weaknesses.”
While Nix remains steadfast to the quest, it’s hard to argue that there could be a better finale to his college career than what has transpired this season. Just don’t tell Nix that. He’s still quipping how there are mistakes to clean up, other plays to make, details to perfect, if they want to keep winning. While many, including his teammates and his head coach, are ready to hand him the Heisman, he’s still thinking about how it felt to lose once this season to Washington in the final seconds of the game.
“I am thrilled we won the game, but I just know how it felt a few weeks ago because we didn’t finish the [Washington] game,” Nix said after Oregon’s commanding win over Utah. “I don’t want to have that feeling again.”
Nix is scared and not afraid to admit it. Not scared of defenders rushing at him, of turning the ball over, of losing or even outright failing. In the mind of Nix, complacency — the thought of it arriving at his doorstep or realizing it has been slowly creeping in — is what instills that fear. It’s also what drives him forward and what, after five long years in college football, has brought him here.
The College Football Playoff selection committee will reveal its first ranking at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday on ESPN, giving us our first look at what the 12-member group thinks about the playoff pecking order after 10 weeks.
It’s far from over, as teams still have ample opportunities to build — or bust — their résumés.
Separation, though, is starting to occur, and the Bubble Watch is tracking it for you. Teams with Would be in status below are featured in this week’s top 12 projection, a snapshot of what the selection committee’s ranking will look like when it’s released later Tuesday. For each Power 4 conference, we’ve listed teams as Last team in and First team out. These are the true bubble teams hovering around inclusion. Teams labeled Still in the mix haven’t been eliminated, but have work to do. A team that is Out will have to wait until next year.
The 12-member selection committee doesn’t always agree with the Allstate Playoff Predictor, so the following categories are based on historical knowledge of the group’s tendencies, plus what each team has done to date.
The conferences below are listed in order of the number of bids they’re expected to receive, ranked from the most to least. Check back Tuesday night after the rankings reveal show for an updated bubble watch that will reflect the selection committee’s latest ranking.
Jump to a conference:
ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten
SEC | Independent | Group of 5
Bracket
SEC
Would be in: Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Last team in: Ole Miss. The Rebels are in a safe spot, but they’re not a lock if they don’t run the table. With remaining games against The Citadel, Florida and at rival Mississippi State, there’s no possibility of a “good loss” remaining, and historically, losing in November has been far more damaging to playoff hopes than losing earlier in the season. Ole Miss shouldn’t lose; it has at least a 72% chance of winning each of its remaining games and has the seventh-best chance in the country (43%) to win out. If an upset occurred, though, the Rebels would join the two-loss club and might not win a debate with other two-loss teams that had more statement wins — and didn’t lose to an unranked opponent. The Rebels’ remaining schedule strength is No. 56 in the country. With a second loss, Ole Miss would be banking on wins against Oklahoma, Tulane and LSU to impress the committee enough for an at-large bid.
First team out: Texas. The Longhorns got a significant boost this week in part because three teams above them fell out — Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech and Miami — but also because they earned another CFP top 25 win against the Commodores. The head-to-head win against Oklahoma also could help them with the committee. If Texas is ranked No. 11 or No. 12 by the committee, though — and the ACC and Group of 5 champions are outside of the committee’s top 12 — the Longhorns would be elbowed out during the seeding process to make room for the fourth- and fifth-highest ranked conference champions, which are guaranteed spots in the playoff.
Still in the mix: Missouri, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt. The Sooners earned a huge résumé boost with their win at Tennessee and have what should be a CFP top 25 win against Michigan. For two-loss Vandy, a close road loss to Texas isn’t an eliminator. Where the committee ranks Tennessee after its third loss will impact both of their résumés as a common opponent. Missouri’s lone losses were to Alabama and Vanderbilt, but the Tigers don’t have anything yet to compensate for those. That could change Saturday with a win against Texas A&M.
Out: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee
Big Ten
Would be in: Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon
Last team in: Oregon. The one-loss Ducks have a more challenging second half of the season, and the committee is about to learn how good this team truly is. So far, Oregon’s best win was Sept. 13 at Northwestern. The Ducks have been passing the eye test, but their opponents have a winning percentage of 47.2% — ranked No. 116 in the country. The committee will still respect the double-overtime win at Penn State, but also recognize that the Nittany Lions weren’t playing at an elite level even with James Franklin on the sideline. With road trips to Iowa and Washington — both respectable two-loss teams — and a Nov. 22 home game against USC, Oregon has a chance to further entrench itself in the top 12 or tumble out.
First team out: USC. The Trojans’ two losses were on the road to respectable teams (Illinois and Notre Dame) by a combined 12 points. Their best win was Oct. 11 against Michigan, but the Trojans could really boost their résumé this month and completely flip the script with Oregon if they can win in Eugene on Nov. 22. According to ESPN Analytics, USC has the fourth-best chance in the Big Ten to reach the playoff (17.3%), just ahead of Michigan. The only game they’re not favored to win is Nov. 22 at Oregon. If they can pull off that upset for a 10-2 finish, the committee would definitely consider the Trojans for an at-large spot.
Still in the mix: Iowa, Michigan, Washington. These teams could be ranked by the committee Tuesday night, but Michigan will probably have the shortest climb into the conversation. The head-to-head loss to USC will be a problem in both the Big Ten standings and the CFP ranking, but if USC loses again and their records are no longer comparable, it can be overcome. Then, there’s a head-to-head loss to Oklahoma. Still, Michigan has a 13.2% chance to reach the playoff, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor. The Wolverines still have a chance to beat Ohio State and earn one of the best wins in the country en route to a 10-2 finish.
Out: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
Big 12
Would be in: BYU, Texas Tech
Last team in: Texas Tech. If Texas Tech loses to BYU on Saturday but still wins the Big 12, it’s a CFP lock. The problem is that if the Red Raiders lose a second conference game, they will need some help to reach the Big 12 championship. So, a loss to BYU could be devastating to their conference and CFP hopes. If the Red Raiders beat BYU on Saturday, but lose to the Cougars in the Big 12 championship game, Texas Tech would still have a chance at an at-large bid as the Big 12 runner-up. The Red Raiders would be able to claim a win over the eventual Big 12 champs, which would be a much-needed boost to their résumé. It would depend in part on how the game unfolded. The Cougars are the Red Raiders’ only remaining opponent with a winning record, as Texas Tech ends the season against UCF (4-4) and at West Virginia (3-6).
First team out: Utah. The Utes are in a tricky spot because their two losses are to the Big 12’s best teams — BYU and Texas Tech. Utah still has the third-best chance to reach the Big 12 title game (22.8%), but will need some help to get there. Utah’s best wins are against Arizona State and Cincinnati, but the Utes have a hard time earning an at-large bid without beating at least one of the best teams in their league.
Still in the mix: Cincinnati. The Bearcats are included here because they still have an 18% chance to reach the Big 12 title game, according to ESPN Analytics. They have only one league loss, which gives them some slim hope. Their other loss was in the season opener to Nebraska.
Out: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF, West Virginia
ACC
Would be in: Virginia
Last team in: Virginia. Like Georgia Tech, Virginia also has a road loss to NC State as its lone blemish, but it was an early four-point loss, while the Yellow Jackets lost to the Wolfpack by double digits. Virginia also has a head-to-head win against Louisville. That’s the Hoos’ best win of the season, and likely their only one against a CFP top 25 opponent. That’s why it’s unlikely Virginia is ranked in the top 12 in the initial CFP top 25. Virginia would still be in, though, if it wins the ACC even if it’s ranked outside the committee’s top 12 — just like three-loss Clemson was last year.
First team out: Louisville. The Cardinals lost at home in overtime to Virginia on Oct. 4, but earned a statement win Oct. 17 at Miami. Louisville will probably have only one win this season against a CFP top 25 team, which will make earning an at-large bid difficult. Louisville’s best shot would be to run the table, have teams above the Cardinals lose, and win the ACC. Louisville has a 10.6% chance of winning the ACC, fourth best behind Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia.
Still in the mix: Georgia Tech, Miami. The odds of earning an at-large bid dropped significantly, but any team that has a chance to win its league will have a chance to lock up a playoff spot, and they’re both in contention to play for the ACC title. Georgia Tech has the best chance to reach the ACC championship game (72.3%), followed by Virginia (51.1%) and Miami (28.5%), according to ESPN Analytics. Georgia Tech still has the highest chance to win out (40.5%) and win the league (41.2%).
Out: Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Independent
Would be in: Notre Dame. The playoff stars aligned for Notre Dame in Week 10, when Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech and Miami all lost, opening the door for the 6-2 Irish to move back into the top 10 after beating Boston College. The question is whether the selection committee will honor Miami’s season-opening 27-24 win against Notre Dame because they have the same record. It’s one of several tiebreakers, but not weighted, and if the committee deems the Irish the better team and not comparable now, Notre Dame can be ranked higher. Notre Dame has the best chance of any team in the country to run the table (68.3%), but the Nov. 15 trip to Pitt will be difficult. The Panthers, winners of five straight, are playing well and have a bye week to prepare for the Irish. The Irish’s playoff position will remain tenuous until the clock runs out at Stanford and they’re 10-2.
Group of 5
Would be in: Memphis. As the projected winner of the American this week, Memphis would earn a playoff spot as the committee’s fifth-highest-ranked conference champion. The Tigers’ Oct. 25 win against South Florida was critical in the league race, but the loss to 3-5 UAB is an ink stain on their résumé that can be overcome with a conference title. Memphis has at least a 57% chance to win each of its remaining games, according to ESPN Analytics.
Still in the mix: South Florida, North Texas, James Madison, San Diego State. The committee would consider South Florida’s head-to-head wins against Boise State and North Texas.
Bracket
Based on our weekly projection, the seeding would be:
First-round byes
No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Indiana
No. 3 Alabama (SEC champ)
No. 4 Texas A&M
First-round games
On campus, Dec. 19 and 20
No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Georgia
No. 11 Virginia (ACC champ) at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 BYU (Big 12 champ)
No. 9 Texas Tech at No. 8 Oregon
Quarterfinal games
At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Georgia winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Virginia/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Alabama
No. 10 Notre Dame/No. 7 BYU winner vs. No. 2 Indiana
No. 9 Texas Tech/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State
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