Oregon QB Bo Nix has been one of the best players in college football in 2023, but he wasn’t always an Oregon Duck.
Nix was originally the starting quarterback for Auburn, but a series of events led to the eventual NFL Draft prospect entering the transfer portal.
Bo Nix at Auburn
Leaving high school, Nix was one of the top-ranked QBs in his recruiting class, but where he would play his college football was never in doubt. Nix is the son of Patrick Nix, a former Auburn starting QB. Nix grew up an Auburn fan and dreamt of being the starting QB for the Tigers.
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His Auburn career started strong, being named a starter as a freshman in 2019. With a record-breaking freshman season, Nix’s future looked promising.
But after his first season as a starter, Nix’s offensive coordinator, Kenny Dillingham, left to become the OC for Florida State, and Nix would never find the same spark he had during that season. Auburn finished the 2020 season 6-5 with the program only heading in one direction.
Nix’s onfield production would continue to decrease throughout his Auburn career, leading to him even being benched in 2021. Then, against Mississippi State, Nix broke his ankle, requiring season-ending surgery.
By this point, Nix had seen enough. He was the scapegoat for a failing program, with the media focus pointing his way. He needed to get out of the spotlight.
Nix Enters the Transfer Portal
After entering the transfer portal, Nix chose to go and play for Oregon. But there are many reasons for him deciding to leave Auburn.
NIL certainly played its part. However, Nix was fundamentally unhappy at Auburn. In an interview with CBSSports, Nix said, “Last year, I was just kind of over it. Each week, it was something else. There was, quite frankly, nothing I could do about it. I just remember kind of being miserable. It wasn’t fun anymore.”
The decision to move to Oregon made a lot of sense. Nix was sick of being in the media spotlight, and a move across the country (from the SEC to the Pac-12) would symbolize a new start.
The move also saw Nix link up with a familiar name. Kenny Dillingham had left FSU to become the OC in Oregon in 2022, seeing the pair reunited after Nix’s fantastic freshman season.
Speaking to ESPN, Nix explained his experience with the transfer portal, saying “Being a graduate transfer set my career up for success. And I was able to choose a place like Oregon and go and be a fit for them and be that extra piece they needed for their puzzle. I think NIL because there are so many people that have done it before me. I take pride in what I’ve had the opportunity to do. Being a quarterback, not only at Auburn but at Oregon, is a valuable thing. It is nothing to be taken for granted. It’s a blessing to be a part of.”
The move has certainly paid off. Nix looks lightyears away from the quarterback he had become at Auburn. Reinvigorated, Nix has rebounded his career and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in 2023.