Oregon
Bo Nix’s HC at Oregon Renders Bold Prediction for Broncos’ New Starter
Since securing the Denver Broncos starting job, rookie quarterback Bo Nix has received high praise from NFL media and fans. Even Broncos legends such as Peyton Manning and John Elway have tipped their cap to Nix.
Nix’s efficiency and ability to make plays on the fly made the decision easy for head coach Sean Payton to pull the trigger on leading the franchise as the starter. Dan Lanning, Nix’s head coach at the University of Oregon, is the latest to send some love to the future face of the Broncos in an interview with Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette.
“I’m not surprised at all,’’ Lanning told Tomasson on Thursday about Payton’s choice. “I know how hard Bo works. Honestly, I felt like it was a great fit from the start. I think the sky is the limit for him, so I’m really pumped for him. I also know that his goal wasn’t just to be named the starter. His goal is to go out there and perform really well for the team. He has high expectations for himself. I’m excited to see him achieve those.”
What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
Everyone, including Lanning, believes Bo is a perfect fit for Payton and the Broncos, and it’s easy to see why. In both of the Broncos’ preseason games, Nix had a command of the offense unmatched by Zach Wilson or Jarrett Stidham.
Nix has checked all the boxes so far — processing, snap to throw, and using his legs to extend plays, whether scripted or otherwise. It’s also encouraging to hear that his aspirations go beyond just securing the starting job and that his expectations for himself are sky-high. The juiciest part of Lanning’s comments came when citing Nix’s maturity.
“The part that was always different for me with Bo is I 100% always felt like every game I was walking on the field with another coach who just happens to play for us, and I think that’s where his maturity shows up,’’ Lanning said. “He’s seen a lot of things, knows a lot of things, and as much as any player is 100% dedicated to his craft.”
This speaks to Nix’s maturity, preparedness, and dedication to the game. These traits have already served him well in the game, and you can see in various interviews that Payton is absolutely giddy when discussing his young quarterback. Senergy between coach and quarterback is essential for sustained success in the NFL.
Lanning punctuated his remarks on Nix by sharing his outlook on Bo’s first start in Seattle and how good he’ll fare in Denver in the long run.
“He’s going to go out there and bust his tail and perform,” Lanning said. “When it’s all said and done, Bo can be an absolutely great quarterback for the Broncos and I’m excited to see that all play out.”
Coach Lanning has lofty expectations for his former quarterback, but Nix’s goals for himself are even higher. Lanning felt that Nix was an extra coach on the field, and if that translates to the NFL with Payton, Denver will have found its new face of the franchise.
Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.
Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.
However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.
Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.
“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”
Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.
“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”
Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.
The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.
Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.
“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.
Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.
Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.
Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.
The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.
The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.
-
Fitness4 minutes ago
Jane Fonda was in her 40s when she changed the way we exercise
-
Movie Reviews16 minutes agoMovie Review: The Mortuary Assistant – HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows
-
World28 minutes ago
Meta slashes 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, as Microsoft offers buyouts
-
News34 minutes agoTrump Says Israel and Lebanon Agree to Extend Cease-Fire by Three Weeks
-
Politics40 minutes agoTrump Reposts Anti-Immigrant Tirade Calling China and India ‘Hellhole’ Places
-
Business46 minutes agoNike to Cut 1,400 Jobs as Part of Its Turnaround Plan
-
Science52 minutes agoNew Gene Therapy Enables Children With a Rare Form of Deafness to Hear
-
Health58 minutes agoFibermaxxing Snacks Make Weight Loss Easy—Hunger Doesn’t Stand a Chance