Some coaches have compared the games on Saturdays during the fall to a test, and the week of practice leading up to it is study time. Most wins or losses can be attributed to what kind of practice occurred the week before.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix has taken that concept to heart, and so far, he’s been passing with flying colors. A large part of his preparation for Saturday success is building chemistry with his receivers Monday through Friday.
According to the Ducks co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Junior Adams, Nix’s leadership has made the receivers, both veterans and underclassmen, even better than they already were.
“I think Bo is doing a really good job of taking the leadership role and putting an arm around the wideouts when things don’t go the way we want them to go,” Adams said on Tuesday. “He’s doing a good job of getting us into the right play call.”
One thing that makes Nix stand apart from a majority of college quarterbacks is his ability to be flexible at the line of scrimmage. Former offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham allowed Nix the autonomy to check in and out of play calls last season, and that’s expected to continue under Will Stein this season.
However, the biggest form of leadership that Nix has shown during his time at Oregon is his ability to lift other players up, and make sure that everyone is bought in on the common goal.
“It’s what he does when no one else is around, and how he corrals the guys who sit with him and watch film,” Adams said.
And when there are no receivers around, Nix will peek into coaches’ meetings and take mental notes that he can use later.
“He’ll be in the offensive staff meeting and hear what the coaches are talking about,” Adams said.
Oregon is building quite the WR room with the likes of returners Troy Franklin and Kris Hutson, along with incoming transfers Traeshon Holden and Tez Johnson. But the talent doesn’t stop there as redshirt freshmen Kyler Kasper and Justius Lowe look to gain experience and absorb all they can for the future of Oregon football, while true freshman Ashton Cozart and, eventually, Jurrion Dickey work to get acclimated as well.
Luckily they all have a great quarterback throwing them the football on the field and a teacher who has bought into their growth off of the field.
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