Bo Nix has proven to be one of the top rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, with a bright future ahead. At the college level, he refined his game under Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning for two seasons.
Lanning had high praise for his former quarterback, referencing his professionalism and competitive spirit.
Dan Lanning Praises Former Ducks Quarterback, Rookie Sensation Bo Nix
Nix led the Ducks to a 21-5 record as the starter, including a Fiesta Bowl victory in his final game. He finished as the school’s leader in completion percentage (74.9), third in completions (658), third in passing touchdowns (74), and fifth in passing yards (8,101).
Ahead of a key Thursday night game pitting the Broncos against the Los Angeles Chargers, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning was asked about Nix’s impact as a Duck.
“This guy was a pro before he became a pro.”@oregonfootball head coach @CoachDanLanning sings the praises of his former QB Bo Nix. 🦆 pic.twitter.com/9qbepzOq5j
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 20, 2024
“Bo was unbelievable for us,” Lanning said. “I always felt like when I took the field as a coach, I knew I had another coach on the field for us. This guy was a pro before he became a pro.”
Selected 12th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, questions of his ceiling — largely due to his age (24) — caused him to be the sixth quarterback taken. So far, he’s exceeded expectations and performed like the best of the rookie quarterback bunch.
His 3,235 passing yards rank first amongst rookies and 14th in the league. Nix also leads rookies in passing touchdowns with 22, which is good for ninth in the league.
Aside from counting stats, Nix has led the Broncos to the most important stat of all: wins. Nine of them, in fact, versus six losses. That’s good enough for the seventh seed in the AFC playoff picture. According to CBS News, the Broncos have an 86% chance of making the playoffs with two games to go in the regular season.
Nix has operated Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s offense at a high level, doing many of the same things he was asked to do in Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein’s offense. The play style is much like being a point guard on the field: spreading the ball around and putting it in playmakers’ hands.
Lanning continued: “His competitive spirit is starting to show up. We were lucky enough to get to celebrate all of those things.”
He may have been referencing a passionate debate between Nix and Payton following a failed drive early in the season.
Each downplayed the moment, with Payton saying, “We’re looking for passion, and we’re looking for people who have a passion for the game — not other things. I think that it’s so important to him. Again, I loved his response. We’re on to the next play, and it’s nothing.”
You can hear the admiration from both coaches when speaking of Nix, a high character individual who also happens to be an ascending talent in the NFL.
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