Big Ten Daily (Dec. 9): Kalen DeBoer, Michael Penix Jr. Claim Major College Football Awards

After an excellent season at Washington, former Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and ex-offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer received prestigious honors during Friday's College Football Awards Show.

Indiana fans might've shed a tear or two watching ESPN on Friday night. Whether they were tears of joy or sadness might depend on the individual.

Former Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and ex-offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer took home prestigious honors for their success at Washington during the 2023 season. Cue Simon & Garfunkel's Sound of Silence (for you youngsters in the audience, it's where we get the lyrics "Hello darkness, my old friend").

Penix, who spent four seasons in Bloomington, was named the winner of the Maxwell Award, presented to the best player in college football. The Huskies gunslinger threw for 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 65.9% of his passes.

The former Hoosier is also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

DeBoer, who spent the 2019 season as Indiana's offensive coordinator, was named the Home Depot Coach of the Year. He led Washington to a 13-0 record, a Pac-12 title and its second College Football Playoff appearance.

A majority of Indiana fans have showed support for the success of Penix and DeBoer. The two helped jumpstart a floundering program in 2019, finishing that season with an 8-5 record.

Although DeBoer departed to take a head coaching job at Fresno State, the following season was one of the most memorable in Hoosier history. Penix led IU to a 6-2 record in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Indiana knocked off Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin that year.

Since then, it's been doom and gloom in Bloomington. The Hoosiers posted just a 9-27 record the next three seasons, leading to the termination of Tom Allen after seven years.

Many Hoosier fans look back fondly at those memories. But there are probably a few tears of sadness mixed in, wondering how things could've been different had DeBoer and Penix stuck around a little longer. 

Harrison, Taylor Take Home Individual Honors

Only two Big Ten players were awarded some of college football's top honors on Friday night. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Iowa's Tory Taylor were the conference's winners during the College Football Awards on ESPN.

Harrison was named the winner of the Biletnikoff Award, presented to college football's top wide receiver. He finished the season with 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

The Ohio State star became just the second Buckeye receiver to claim the honor. In 1995, Terry Glenn was named the winner of the Biletnikoff Award.

Harrison was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Wide Receiver of the Year. The junior is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, as well.

For special teams, it was Taylor who received the Ray Guy Award, recognizing the best punter in the country. The Iowa punter averaged 47.9 yards per punt this season. More than 30 of his kicks exceeded 50 yards and he's pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 30 times.

Taylor also has 4,119 punting yards this season and is on the verge of breaking an 85-year-old NCAA record. The current highest total is at 4,138 yards, set by Michigan State's Johnny Pingel in 1938.

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