Dan Lanning Announces Oregon Ducks QB Bo Nix Will Play in Fiesta Bowl
While reflecting on what had just unfolded in the Pac-12 championship on Friday, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix said he had 'No idea' if he would play in the Ducks bowl game.
Duck fans now have an answer, as head coach Dan Lanning announced that Nix will play in the Fiesta Bowl against the No. 23 Liberty Flames on January 1 in Glendale.
"I can say definitively that Bo Nix wants to go play in this game," the head coach said during a Zoomteleconference on Sunday. "He told his teammates the same thing this morning when we met as a team. I think he wants that opportunity to go out on the field one more time and there's several other guys that have made that decision."
Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix throws a pass against the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix runs against the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Nix threw for 239 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception in his last game against the Washington Huskies. He completed 21 of his 34 passes (61.8%) and also tacked on 69 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 6 carries.
He's been the engine that makes the Oregon offense run all season, and Lanning applauded his quarterback's character following his decision to suit up for one more game.
"I think it speaks to his character, what he thinks of this team, what he feels like he owes the players on this team around him," he continued. "And he certainly doesn't owe anybody anything. And for him to go out there and to go play, I don't think it was really ever a question for him. It's just a matter of, those are things to assess after the situation. I think he took his time to do that, evaluated what he wanted to do moving forward."
There's been a recent trend of the top players in the sport opting out of bowl games, particularly those outside of the College Football Playoff, to prepare for the NFL Draft. It's refreshing to see a player like Nix want to take the field one last time.
"And I think any of our players -- it's not always seen in college football as advantageous for players to go get to play," Lanning said. "But you've got to remember, you want guys on your team that love to play for the love of the game, and Bo Nix is one of those guys."
Nix holds the NCAA record for most starts by a quarterback, and he'll get to start one more before the sun sets on his college career.
