Kirby Smart raves about Oregon QB Bo Nix ahead of season-opener

The defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs are 93 days from kicking off their season opener against the Oregon Ducks. When they play, Kirby Smart’s group will see a familiar foe in QB Bo Nix. After transferring from Auburn to be the starter in Eugene, Nix will get his first start against SEC competition he knows all too well.

Smart had high praise for Nix when asked about the former Tiger at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin.

“He’s a great athlete, probably one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen at quarterback in terms of GPS numbers, speed, overall athleticism,” said Smart, via On3’s Jesse Simonton. “He has grown since being a freshman and getting thrown in there (at Auburn) and playing under multiple coordinators.”

Nix should be able to showcase his talent right away in the PAC-12. New head coach Dan Lanning hired Kenny Dillingham, Nix’s former OC at Auburn, to be OC and QB coach in December. He spent the last two seasons as OC at Florida State and is now reunited with Nix. The pair hopes to recreate the QB’s best statistical season as a freshman in 2019.

“He went back to a coordinator he’s familiar with. That should make him feel comfortable,” said Smart.

Last season, Nix’s Tigers lost to Georgia 34-10 in a Top-25 matchup in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Nix went 21-38 for 217 yards, but only had one interception to show for it. Even so, Smart said his championship defense had trouble with Nix on the field

“He’s very talented,” he said. “We had a lot of draft picks on defense last season that struggled to get him on the ground.”

With eight players from that defense now gone to the NFL, a new group of Bulldogs will get their chance at Nix in the opener. That’ll come on September 3rd when the ‘Dogs and Ducks open their seasons at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.