Bo Nix will be a problem when he runs
While Oregon QB Bo Nix is a fantastic passer (he completed almost 72% of his passes in 2022), it will be his legs that give Texas Tech fits today. That’s an underrated aspect of his game and an area where Tech has struggled for years.
For his career, Nix has run for over 1,300 yards and 32 TDs. That includes career highs of 510 yards and 14 TDs on the ground last fall.
Don’t sleep on his speed. He once ran for 141 yards on just six carries against Stanford. He also had an 81-yard rushing effort against LSU,
Rushing quarterbacks have long tormented Texas Tech. No one will ever forget the famous Seneca Wallace TD run for Iowa State against the Red Raiders in 2006 and that moment symbolizes this program’s struggles against dual-threat QBs.
Last season, Kansas State’s QB, Adrian Martinez, gashed Tech for 171 yards and three TDs on just 12 carries, Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders had 56 yards and two TDs on 17 rushes, and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart ran for 66 yards and a TD on 11 carries.
Even more disconcerting is the fact that Wyoming’s Andrew Peasely had 66 yards and a TD on the ground against Tech in the opener. Most of that came after starting linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was lost for the game with a foot injury.
This week, can redshirt freshman Ben Roberts step in for Rodriguez and keep Nix in check on the ground while making his first career start? That’s going to be a tough task given that Oregon will likely want to throw plenty of bodies and misdirection Roberts’ way.
So expect Nix to keep several drives alive with his feet. He’s a great athlete who can hurt defenses both through the air and by land. The Red Raiders have struggled against similar QBs for years so it is easy to understand why people in scarlet and black are worried about Nix’s feet as much as his arm.