On Saturday, Oregon’s defense didn’t have many answers for the electric Cameron Ward. Washington State’s talented signal caller gave the Ducks everything they could handle, making ridiculous escapes, off-balance throws and mind-blowing plays time after time.
Last year’s Ducks wouldn’t have had the firepower to keep up with the frenetic Cougar offense. Playing from behind certainly wasn’t Oregon’s specialty under Mario Cristobal, because his units were built to run the ball and hold a lead.
But this year’s squad has a trump card — one that was able to outduel Ward in his coming out party. And that trump card is Bo Nix.
Oregon Finally Has a Quarterback
Nix silenced every single doubter with his performance against Washington State. Yes, his first half interception was a costly one, and it helped the Cougars build a lead that most wouldn’t have been able to overcome.
But that one blemish doesn’t overshadow what was a performance to remember for Nix and the Oregon offense. When the Ducks needed him most, Nix delivered. Down by 12 with less than six minutes to go, Nix led back-to-back touchdown drives, playing with a poise and confidence that was reminiscent of the very best that have ever donned the green and yellow.
Nix was incredible down the stretch against WSU.
He hardly looked like the same quarterback who bailed out of clean pockets and threw risky passes during crunch time in years prior at Auburn. Instead, he calmly led the offense down the field, quickly finding the holes in the defense, throwing strikes to a bevy of different receivers.
Nix might not have had the miraculous, highlight-reel moments that Ward did, but when push came to shove, he played better.
Nix’s development and Oregon’s ability to throw the ball at an elite level is an absolute gamechanger. Not only does a top-tier passing game allow the Ducks to win games such as Saturday’s, where they have to play from behind, but it makes the offense more explosive overall.
It might not look like it did under Chip Kelly, when the Ducks would rush for 200-plus yards on a weekly basis, but the result under Kenny Dillingham is the same: an elite, high-scoring offense. Granted, Dillingham’s unit isn’t as dominant as Kelly’s to this point, but even with a stinker to start the year against the best team in the country, the Ducks still have one of the top offenses in the country, averaging nearly 500 yards per game.
The catalyst behind the Ducks’ offensive resurgence has been Nix and his ability to play within the system. Against Washington State, Oregon needed every one of Nix’s 428 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ducks haven’t had a quarterback capable of putting up those numbers in a couple of years.
He might have his flaws, but there’s no doubt, Bo Nix has upgraded Oregon’s offense. His performance against the Cougars will be remembered for years to come, and with him at the helm, the ceiling of the Ducks’ offense has raised significantly.
Joshua Whitted
Grove City, Ohio
Top Photo by Harry Caston
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Joshua is an adopted Duck fanatic, originally hailing from southwestern Pennsylvania. His love for the University of Oregon began as a young child when he became mesmerized by the flashy uniforms and explosive offenses of the Chip Kelly era, and now, he follows the team religiously. His fondest memory of the team is seeing De’Anthony Thomas race past Wisconsin defenders back in the 2012 Rose Bowl. A true football enthusiast, Joshua loves studying the intricacies of the game, and he aspires to become a professional sports journalist. Joshua now resides in Morgantown, West Virginia where he works in customer service. When he’s not watching Oregon replays, Joshua loves reading, writing, and spending time with his family. Contact: whittedjd@gmail.com