Bo Nix, Dan Lanning light up McAfee show with warmth, mutual respect

Pat McAfee did his show from Eugene today in advance of ESPN College Football GameDay's visit to Autzen on Saturday, and he brought in Dan Lanning as a special guest, paired with Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix via video hookup.

The segment opened with beaming, genuine smiles. "Hey coach, how you doing?" Nix said.

"We talked just the other day," Lanning said. "And then you went and beat my Chiefs. Well done."

McAfee introduced Lanning as "One of the most electrifying human beings we've ever been around."

Nix said, "He is, and he doesn't fake it when he gets on the screen. This is what you get at all times. He's one of the best coaches in America and he helped me get to where I am today and I owe him a lot and I'd be saying the same stuff if he wasn't on the program with us."

Developing quarterbacks a staple for the Ducks with 4 starting in the NFL

The Broncos drafted Nix in the first round, No. 12 overall after two years with the Ducks, a Heisman finalist in 2023 who set an NCAA record for passing accuracy.

"We had a great two-year run together and I wish I could run it back any day," Nix said.

The respect and affection between them is just about the best recruiting video a program could make, and the pattern is being repeated again with Dante Moore development this season.

When opponents and pundits talk about Oregon recruiting, they fixate on the money, and Lanning has been forthright in saying, "We spend to win." But what gets overlooked and undervalued are the relationships. Lanning and his staff build trust and confidence with recruits, lifetime relationships with a commitment to development.

The way former players are welcomed back into the program pays huge dividends too. It builds a legacy and a identity that resonates with recruits, far more than national titles won during the Clinton administration.