Bo Nix’s Oregon play caller: Sean Payton’s scheme ‘a perfect fit’

Bo Nix had favorite plays at Oregon. And one of them was taken straight from the playbook of Sean Payton.

“(Payton) is somebody that I’ve studied and I’ve actually stole things from (him),” said Oregon’s 2022 offensive coordinator, Kenny Dillingham to Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay on Friday’s edition of The Drive, which airs on Denver Sports/104.3 The Fan.

That includes a play Dillingham said was called “Hoss Juke,” which he noted was “probably Bo’s favorite play.” Such plays give the quarterback maximum control.

Bo Nix's play-caller at Oregon in 2022, ASU HC @KennyDillingham, told @DenverSportsCom that he borrowed Sean Payton concepts in his offense with Nix — including one that was "probably Bo's favorite play."

"It's an absolutely perfect fit," Dillingham told @byesline & @I_CU_boy. pic.twitter.com/yXOHJFSmGS

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) May 4, 2024

“And it’s that style of play that Coach Payton empowers his quarterback with in terms of getting the ball out,” Dillingham said. “They’re more of a — I like to say a ball-in-hand offense, which is, get the playmakers the ball, get it in their hand and make people tackle them.

“… That was the philosophy that we had, as well.”

In theory, that should ease Nix’s transition.

“I really think it’s an absolutely perfect fit — not just from the person, but from the style of player you’re getting going into a scheme that puts a lot on the quarterback mentally, to process, to get the ball out fast, to change protections, to throw hot,” Dillingham said.

“I think all that stuff is exactly right up Bo’s alley.”

But it was about more than just execution of on-field concepts for Bo Nix. As Dillingham noted, it was when the young quarterback showed he could cut loose that he knew he had something special.

Nix is the diligent type. He shows up for meetings early and relentlessly inquisitive and focused.

“Trough time, he learned that he can love it.He can have fun with this, too, [that] you can enjoy it,” Dillingham said. “And the first time he cracked a joke in my meeting room and really loosened up, I said, ‘OK, if this dude finds this balance of life and his passion for this thing, and he truly falls in love with it and enjoys this stuff, this could be special.’

Bo Nix's 2022 play-caller at Oregon, Arizona State head coach @KennyDillingham, explained to @byesline & @I_CU_boy that it was when Nix cracked a joke in a meeting that he knew he had something special. He wanted to teach Nix that he can "have fun with this … enjoy it." pic.twitter.com/7t6qiAHpKu

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) May 4, 2024

“And the first time he cracked a joke in my meeting room, I was like, ‘OK, it’s on. I think we’ve cracked the Bo Nix code.’

“I think he’s going to be a star.”

And Dillingham would stake plenty on it.

“I’m not an NFL GM, but I’ll say this: I’d bet my career that Bo Nix was going to have a successful NFL career,” Dillingham said. “This guy’s remarkable in every aspect, and I’ll be absolutely surprised-slash-shocked if his career isn’t what everybody expects with drafting a guy in the early first round.”