Ex-Auburn/Oregon Coach Forecasts Bo Nix's 'Perfect Fit' With Sean Payton

Kenny Dillingham knows what he's talking about on the Bo Nix subject, and he's no novice when it comes to Sean Payton either.

Auburn quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws the ball as Auburn offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

When it comes to discussing Denver Broncos first-round quarterback Bo Nix, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham is as qualified as it gets. Dillingham helped Nix win the SEC Rookie of the Year in 2019 before the two parted ways for two years.

Reunited at Oregon in 2022, Dillingham was instrumental in helping mold Nix into a bonafide first-round quarterback before leaving in 2023 to accept the head-coaching gig at Arizona State. As fans and media continue to get to know Denver's future franchise quarterback, there's a demand for any background information pertaining to Nix.

Dillingham was happy to oblige, lifting the lid on Nix's slightly more relaxed side when he recently joined radio hosts Phillip Lindsay and Zach Bye on 104.3 The FAN.

"Yeah, I mean, I think I said this, but it was just the other day, but it was just when it clicked that he didn't have to be like, the moment was when one—he made a joke in our meeting room, and Bo is the most—show up 20 minutes early, have the notepad out, ask great questions, locked in, wanting to learn," Dillingham told Lindsay and Bye. "And I try to explain through time, he learned that he can love it. He can have fun with this, too. You know, you can enjoy it. And the first time he cracked a joke in my meeting room and really loosened up, I said, 'OK, this dude—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.' 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.' And I think he's going to be a star."

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

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Dillingham bonded with Nix and got the best out of him. And now Nix is set to join forces with Sean Payton in Denver. Like all good coaches of his kind, Dillingham was eager to tip his cap to Payton's well-versed offensive concepts.

"Coach Payton's one of the most respected offensive minds in all of football, regardless of level," Dillingham told Lindsay and Bye. "And (he) is somebody that I've studied and I've actually stole things from. One of our top plays when I coached Bo at Oregon was, people call it 'hoss juke,' which is empty pitches on the outside. One-I, two-I seam-read-beaters with an option route by the No. 3, and that was probably Bo's favorite play, and that was a staple of the Saints offense with Drew Brees. And it's that style of play that Coach Payton empowers his quarterback with in terms of getting the ball out. And 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. And that's kind of what we—not nearly to the extent of Coach Payton—but that was the philosophy that we had as well. So, 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 hots. I think all that stuff is exactly right up Bo's alley."

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The key to success will be how Payton approaches developing Nix. It's safe to assume that the Broncos head coach will fill up his new signal-caller's plate with the confidence that he can digest a lot of detail.

Prevailing winds might carry Nix all the way to a starting job by Week 1, but that will all hinge on how pro-ready the former Oregon star can prove himself to be during training camp. The collection of talent in the Broncos' QB room suggests that Payton won't be shy about giving his rookie first-rounder the nod if he believes he merits it.

Nix's 61 starts, an NCAA record, implies that he has the experience to hit the ground running. Having said that, the rookie is still embarking on a notoriously steep learning curve, and it's in the white-hot scrutiny of a Denver sports town where the Broncos are still king, despite the past eight years of NFL irrelevance. 

Thus, Nix knowing when to get down to business while also occasionally lightening the mood could prove to be hugely advantageous as he marches through the early stages of his pro career.

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