Bo Nix is projected by several outlets, including Eugene’s flagship paper, The Register-Guard, to start for the Oregon Ducks under center in 2022. His primary backup, sophomore-to-be Ty Thompson, lost his footing as the projected starter after a strong spring from Nix that proved he was still a good fit under new Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham.
Nix has the ceiling to lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 Championship after leading the Tigers to nine wins in his freshman season on the Plains. Utah is the odds-on favorite to win the conference, but Nix makes the Ducks a dark horse. Pun intended.
Barring something drastic between now and September 3rd–when Oregon opens the season on September 3rd against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta–Nix will start over Thompson.
Something somewhat drastic happened over the weekend at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodeaux, Louisiana. Along with the likes of 2021 Heisman winner Bryce Young, Kentucky rising star Will Levis, Florida standout Anthony Richardson, and LSU-turned-Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson, Thompson was named an ‘Academy Standout’:
2022 Manning Passing Academy Standouts🎯https://t.co/Mzc9pEj70M pic.twitter.com/3KGmbatuE4
— On3 (@On3sports) June 25, 2022
Bo Nix does not have a long leash in Oregon
Just like during the 2021 season when the Pinson, Alabama second-generation Auburn QB had to fend off T.J. Finley in the Tigers backfield, Bo Nix will have to constantly prove himself as the starter in Oregon.
Thompson is a prospect 247Sports’ Blair Angulo called a ‘candidate to start early in his college career’. Angulo was high on the Mesquite High School gunslinger’s raw abilities in his evaluation of the former Class of 2021 4-star, but noticed interesting deficiencies:
"“Elite arm strength, but also has the finesse to fit throws between defensive levels. Smooth mechanics and effortless throwing motion. Could improve mobility, footwork and pocket awareness.”"
Where Thompson could improve is a strength of Nix. During the 2021 season, Nix showed in the LSU matchup that he is as elusive as a QB can be avoiding sacks during broken offensive plays in the pocket.
If the Auburn grad transfer can be a mentor to Thompson that helps patch up those weaknesses that also dominates as a fourth-year collegiate QB starter with NFL hopes, Oregon got a perfect transfer portal add with Bo Nix.