Connect with us

Oregon

Oregon football quarterback Bo Nix sets a few more records before heading off to the NFL

Published

on

Oregon football quarterback Bo Nix sets a few more records before heading off to the NFL


GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Bo Show — as entertaining as it was successful — wrapped up its two-year run at Oregon Monday afternoon.

And the star, quarterback Bo Nix, made sure to leave with a few records.

Nix led the Ducks to one last victory before heading off to the NFL, as he threw for five touchdowns and 363 yards in Oregon’s 45-6 win against Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.

During the game he broke Marcus Mariota’s single-season school records for yards and touchdowns as his 14-game 2023 totals increased to 4,508 and 45, respectively.

Advertisement

Mariota had 4,454 and 42 during his Heisman Trophy winning season.

“I played good football this year because of the opportunity and the situation that I was in,” Nix said. “It wasn’t difficult to go out there and play with the guys that I was around. … As a team, I felt like we set the bar really high. We had a standard and we just wanted to go out there and match it every Saturday.”

Nix also extended his single-season school record for completions to 364 as he completed 28-of-35 passes to also set the NCAA single-season record for completion percentage at 77.45%. 

“That completion percentage is important because it speaks to a lot of people,” Nix said. “It doesn’t speak to just one person. Everybody that the ball is thrown to, they gotta catch it and they got to do something with it. And then you’ve got to protect too. Everybody was included. So I think it’s just a great team accomplishment. I think it was just an awesome way for this year to conclude.”

Advertisement

Nix, who finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in December and was the Pac-12 offensive player of the year, said he knew the records were out there for the taking coming into the game and credited the coaching staff for setting him up to have success.

“It was hard not to think about it because you’re so close to something that you worked so hard for and that the season has led up to,” Nix said. “I just give praise to the coaches. I think they did a good job of calling the game and when they call the game like they do, and we go out and execute, it just kind of happens.”

With that, Nix’s collegiate career came to end after five seasons of being the starter at Auburn (2019-21) and Oregon (2022-23).

He was 22-5 with the Ducks, with wins in two bowl games.

“He’s done a lot for this program,” said coach Dan Lanning, who’s never had another starting quarterback at Oregon other than Nix. “He’s played a lot of elite ball and we’re really proud of him.”

Advertisement

One of Nix’s losses this season came in the Pac-12 championship game on Dec. 1, a loss that motivated him to play in the Fiesta Bowl during a time when several of his projected first-round draft pick peers are opting out of the postseason.

“I wanted to go out and compete one more time,” Nix said. “I wanted to go out and play another game. And with the year that we had, it would have been a shame if I didn’t go out there and compete with the guys who who made it all possible. … After what happened on Dec. 1, I couldn’t wait to go back out there and compete one more time and if I had the opportunity I was going to go use it.”

Nix leaves as the NCAA record-holder for starts by quarterback with 61. He’s also second all-time with 17,344 career yards, fourth with 152 touchdowns, sixth with 15,352 passing yards and seventh with 1,286 completions.

“I feel like I have played a lot of football, but you know, every time I went out there, it slowed down more and more and by the end of it, I just had a really comfortable feeling,” Nix said. “I think this year with what we were doing offensively, schematically, we’re very efficient and part of that is because the players we have on our side of the ball, and you know, it’s been a great career.”

Advertisement

Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com





Source link

Oregon

5 things we learned from Minnesota’s beatdown loss at Oregon

Published

on

5 things we learned from Minnesota’s beatdown loss at Oregon


Minnesota entered its matchup with Oregon having lost its first three road games of the season by an averaging of 30.0 points. It was much of the same story on Friday night with a 42-13 beatdown loss. Here’s what we learned.

After it took Oregon only nine plays and 4:13 to score a touchdown on the first drive of the game, Minnesota responded with one of the most baffling offensive drives you’ll ever see. After a false start on the first play, they went into wildcat formation, Darius Taylor pitched it to Drake Lindsey, who proceeded to complete a four-yard pass. They proceeded to fail a screen attempt, and then Lindsey was sacked for seven yards. It felt like it set the tone for the whole game.

Picture via: Statbroadcast

Gophers’ opening drive sequence / Picture via: Statbroadcast

When Minnesota returned Koi Perich and Kerry Brown at the safety position, it seemed like they would lead one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten. But the Gophers had to replace Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson at the cornerback position, and it has not gone well. Oregon QB Dante Moore was 18 of 20 for 200 yards and one touchdown in the first half, and it looked like the Ducks’ offense could get whatever they wanted.

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

Minnesota’s best offensive drive in the first half resulted in a 26-yard field goal from Brady Denaburg. P.J. Fleck opted to settle for three points on a 4th and eight with 2:25 left in the first half, and a 21-3 deficit. That decision exemplifies his strategy in these games perfectly. Anyone who watches this team and watches college football, knew the Gophers weren’t going to have many trips in the red zone. If they wanted to play to win this game, that was an opportunity to make things interesting with a touchdown. Fleck opted to make the scoreboard look better, rather than try to win a football game.

Advertisement

After suffering a 27-14 nonconference loss at California, Minnesota failed to score a single touchdown in back-to-back blowout losses at Ohio State and Iowa. The Gophers settled for two field goals in the second half, but Lindsey found Javon Tracy in the third quarter to break a streak of 10 straight quarters without a touchdown.

You don’t have to be a sports betting expert, but point spreads often provide context for games like we saw on Friday night in Eugene. With another blowout loss, the Gophers move to 2-8-1 against the spread this season, which is tied for the second-worst mark in all of FBS. Fleck might point towards Minnesota’s touchdown, but they were not competitive in this game, and they weren’t competitive against Iowa and Ohio State. The Gophers obviously face a lot of challenges in terms of remaining competitive against programs like the Buckeyes and Ducks, but they aren’t even close.



Source link

Continue Reading

Oregon

Watch live: Lakeridge vs. Nelson in Oregon high school football 6A playoffs Round 2/state quarterfinals (11/14/2025)

Published

on

Watch live: Lakeridge vs. Nelson in Oregon high school football 6A playoffs Round 2/state quarterfinals (11/14/2025)


If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

The second-seeded Nelson Hawks (9-1) play host to the No. 10 Lakeridge Pacers (6-4) on Friday night in a 6A Oregon high school football playoffs Round 2/state quarterfinals matchup.

Coach Aaron Hazel’s Hawks are coming off a 35-12 first-round victory against West Salem. They are undefeated this season against Oregon opponents.

The Pacers, coached by Spencer Phillips, defeated Glencoe 35-21 in Round 1. Their record might be a bit misleading — they have four losses, but they were against the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5 seeds in the bracket.

Advertisement

Nelson defeated Lakeridge 26-21 on Aug. 29.

Opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT on Friday, November 14, with a live TV broadcast on NFHS Network.

• WATCH: Nelson vs. Lakeridge football is livestreaming on NFHS Network

High school sports on NFHS Network

Watch high school sports anywhere from wherever you are.

Advertisement

Watch now

How to watch Nelson vs. Lakeridge football livestream

What: The second-seeded Nelson Hawks play host to the No. 10 Lakeridge Pacers in a 6A Oregon high school football playoffs quarterfinal matchup.

When: Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT on Friday, November 14.

Where: Nelson High School | Happy Valley, Oregon

Watch live: Watch Nelson vs. Lakeridge live on the NFHS Network

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Oregon

Know the (possible) Oregon State football coaching candidate: Ed Orgeron

Published

on

Know the (possible) Oregon State football coaching candidate: Ed Orgeron


The Oregon State football coaching search is underway, and several names have been floated as potential candidates for the job. It is early in the process as the coaching carousel continues to spin across college football.

As the search rolls on, barring a major announcement or change in the search dynamics, The Oregonian/OregonLive will examine some of the potential candidates for OSU’s next head coach.

Next up is a national championship-winning coach who reportedly showed interest early on:

Ed Orgeron

Most recent job: HC, LSU

Advertisement

Age: 64

Head coaching record: 67-47

Why it works

Coach O is a big name with an even bigger personality, and would bring a flurry of media attention to Oregon State (or “Orgeron State”). The branding and merchandise opportunities alone are immense, and the hire would put the Beavers in the national spotlight.

Orgeron’s tenure at LSU ended on a low note in 2021, but he won a national championship with the Tigers in 2019 while coaching one of the greatest college football teams ever. He would likely elevate Oregon State’s recruiting success significantly from where it is now.

Advertisement

Entertainment factor and all the potential risks aside, this would be the kind of splash hire that injects some life into a downtrodden football program. At least temporarily. Fans have been all over this idea on social media.

Why it might not work

There is also a real chance hiring Orgeron would end up being a flash in the pan, or worse: a failed gimmick. Orgeron struggled through two straight .500 seasons before his dismissal at LSU and comes with some off-field baggage to answer for.

He’s also been out of coaching for four years. If he couldn’t make it work in the early days of NIL, at LSU of all places, who’s to say his name recognition alone is going to make up for the experience gap now? The last thing OSU needs is someone who doesn’t fully grasp the modern landscape, so the question would be whether Orgeron has both done his homework and can build a staff around him that makes up for potential shortcomings.

There is a fine line between an exciting risk and an off-the-rails sideshow. Other programs have sought the former and ended up with the latter (see: Arizona State under Herm Edwards). OSU is in a precarious place with its football program and has far less runway to recover from that level of possible failure.

Advertisement

Is he interested in Oregon State?

It seems like he is, but things might have changed. Early on in the process, Orgeron was one of the first names we heard. Credible reports indicated he was interested in the OSU job and would take it if offered.

But better jobs have opened up since then, including at LSU, where Orgeron has since publicly stated he’d be glad to return. That doesn’t exactly scream “all in” on the Beavers.

Whether OSU is even interested in taking this gamble in the first place is another matter. But Beavers fans have to be wary of the possibility that Orgeron is simply desperate for a return to coaching and using their situation as a springboard.

Know the other (possible) candidates:

Advertisement

Brent Vigen

Paul Chryst

Brennan Marion

JaMarcus Shephard

Kevin Cummings

Advertisement

Nick Rolovich

Oregon State (2-8) at Tulsa (2-7)

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. PT
  • Where: H.A. Chapman Stadium — Tulsa, OK
  • TV Channel: None
  • Stream: ESPN+

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending