Author Tony Robbins has a famous quote: “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”
He’s talking about routines.
And he’s also subsequently talking about Bo Nix.
The newly crowned all-time leader in collegiate starts by a quarterback, Nix is the epitome of consistency. There’s little in college football that Nix hasn’t seen.
“Bo is the same, Bo is the same every day. It doesn’t matter if we are playing Pop Warner or we are going to play the Dallas Cowboys,” center Jackson Powers-Johnson said before the Washington game. “He’s going to prepare the same.”
The same. Nix is the same guy all the time.
The Ducks certainly need him to be if their aspirations for a national championship are to materialize. A gauntlet of a remaining schedule will stand in Oregon’s way. Three of the Ducks’ final five games are against currently-ranked opponents.
“The toughness has to show up now,” head coach Dan Lanning said of his team’s mantra going into the tough slate of games. “We have to continue to look to grow, continue to challenge ourselves and make ourselves better.”
Lucky for the Ducks, for as daunting as their remaining schedule is, Nix has been equally steady. With 21 total touchdowns to just one interception, he has led Oregon to the No. 2 scoring offense in the nation.
In the Ducks’ loss against Washington — short of three missed fourth down conversions — Nix was near perfect.
“It’s frustrating to lose a game like this; it’s no fun to be on this side,” Nix said after the game. “It’s easy to go back and say we should have done this, we should have done that.”
Lannings decisions late in the Washington loss were crucial; against the Huskies Oregon left six possible points on the board, and the Ducks lost by three.
“A lot of people want to see how we respond,” Nix said. “I’m excited for that.”
In Week 8 — the Ducks’ first game after the loss — Oregon certainly responded as Nix outdueled Cameron Ward in Oregon’s 38-24 victory over Washington State.
Finishing with three total touchdowns, two passing and one rushing, Nix’s abilities were on full display. “[Washington State’s] quarterback is a special player,” Lanning said after the game. “But so is ours.”
Nix sure is special, and his leadership is as well. Just ask Oregon wide receiver Kyler Kasper.
“Bo’s basically a coach in the building. Bo’s a great guy to have around you,” Kasper said before the season to GoDucks. “If you have any questions as well, you can always go to Bo.”
His impact has been evident. Behind Nix, Oregon has put up over 500 yards in all but one of its games this year.
“Bodacious is great man; he’s awesome, he’s so smart,” Powers-Johnson said after Oregon’s win over Colorado. “He helps us out so much, he sees everything. He’s going to do great at the next level, he teaches us so much.”
Nix’s leadership certainly has been revered by his teammates.
“He just prepares every single day the same, in and out same juice, same fire, same love [and] same compassion,” Powers-Johnson said. “Bo’s the same everyday.”
“I’m just here to be an influence to other people, be a light around me,” Nix said. “If I got to use football to do that, then I’m going to do the best I can.”
He certainly has been. Oregon is now 6-1 going into a key game against Utah.
“That’s my quarterback, he’s back there throwing the rock every play,” offensive lineman Steven Jones said. “I’m gonna rock with him until we can’t no more.”
Oregon certainly will rock with Nix. His performance will be key as the season goes on and the Ducks look to cement themselves as a legitimate contender.
That success will be needed, and Oregon’s resilience will continue to be tried. But the Ducks will have every opportunity to respond, and they will surely need Nix to continue to be Mr. Consistent.
“You see all the plays that he throws, and all the plays he makes with his feet, but you guys don’t see the checks that he makes. You don’t see what he does for this team. You don’t see his leadership,” Lanning said of Nix after the Colorado game. “That guy shapes me. That guy makes me a better person.”
