The return of former Auburn football quarterback Bo Nix to Oregon was “the best offseason” news for the Ducks according to the Deseret News’ Jeff Call.
“The best offseason news for Oregon came when Nix, who became a Heisman Trophy contender and engineered a high-powered offense after transferring from Auburn a year ago, decided to return for another season,” Call wrote.
Nix’s return meant Oregon not having to take to the transfer portal to find a better option than Ty Thompson, who struggled his first two seasons in Eugene with a 51% completion rate and more interceptions than touchdowns. It also meant that the Troy Franklin connection that produced a career-best campaign with Nix will continue. In addition, transfer portal imports Traeshon Holden out of Alabama, and Tez Johnson, Nix’s adopted brother, will be adding more big-play threats to Oregon’s offense. If the switch from Kenny Dillingham to Will Stein doesn’t produce a drastic fall-off — or better, evokes the spirit of the high-scoring UTSA Roadrunners of the past several seasons and ups the fireworks at Autzen and elsewhere –, then Nix elevate what had been a sagging draft stock due to a late-season injury into a first-round projection next April.
Former Auburn football QB Bo Nix omitted from Heisman Trophy candidates
On3 left the former Auburn football QB Nix off their Top 10 list of Heisman Trophy candidates, listing nine signal-callers, including Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. ahead of him.
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That didn’t sit well with Ducks Wire’s Don Smalley, who believes Nix is better than at least one, if not multiple, of the names slotted instead of him.
“It’s difficult to believe after the season last year Nix turned in that there are nine better quarterbacks than him,” Smalley prefaced before saying, “If we have to include Nix, someone, or more than one, needs to be dropped off that list like a bad habit.”
Nix has the narrative of having his Auburn dream crumble under the “miserable” Bryan Harsin era only to rise with the program he defeated in his very first collegiate game on his side. On3 could see this take in the frozen aisle by December.