Former Indiana Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Emerging as Heisman Favorite

Michael Penix Jr. is currently the quarterback for coach Kalen DeBoer and the Washington Huskies, though he previously played for coach Tom Allen and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2018-21. Following an incredible performance against Michigan State on Saturday, Penix has emerged as one of the favorites to win the 2023 Heisman trophy.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The old adage that, "It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all," seems instructional for Indiana football fans watching Michael Penix Jr. this season.

The former quarterback for coach Tom Allen and the Indiana Hoosiers played one of the most impressive games in recent college football history on Saturday. In just one half against Michigan State, Penix threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns, and he finished the game 473 yards on just 35 passes. 

Having been revitalized by former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, Penix leads the entire country in passing as of now. His 1,332 yards through the air are first by a country mile, and he's second in the country in passing touchdowns, trailing only Notre Dame's Sam Hartman.

Multiple large college football accounts on Twitter have deemed him the current frontrunner to win the Heisman trophy. FanDuel currently has him at +480 to bring it home, trailing only reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams.

There's no way around it — the former IU quarterback has a very real shot to win the 2023 Heisman trophy. 

Michael Penix Jr. is just an awesome quarterback #iufb pic.twitter.com/J535cBT6pj

— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) September 18, 2023

Penix burst onto the scene in 2019 as a redshirt freshman, winning the starting job and leading the Hoosiers to a 7-2 record to start the season. The lefty gunslinger started six games and posted a 5-1 record, though he missed three prior to the Northwestern matchup with injuries, and in the game against NU he suffered a season-ending injury. That would be a sign of things to come.

The 2020 season was everything that Indiana ever wanted. Wins over Penn State and Michigan, rising all the way to No. 7 in AP poll and even almost snapping the long standing losing streak against Ohio State. The Hoosiers, however, lost their bowl game, largely because Penix suffered another season-ending injury against Maryland.  That forced IU to play Ole Miss in the Outback Bowl with Jack Tuttle at quarterback instead. 

Expectations were sky high entering 2021, with Indiana ranked No. 18 in the preseason poll, and Penix was considered by many as a contender for the Heisman.

Those dreams were immediately shattered in a 34-6 loss at Iowa. Penix played just five games before once again suffering a season-ending injury. None of this even takes into account the torn ACL Penix suffered during his year as redshirt in 2018. 

Penix left Indiana that offseason and reunited with DeBoer, now the coach of the Washington Huskies, for the 2022 season. The pair immediately showed what made them so special in 2019, as Washington instantly had its best season in six years. Penix and DeBoer led the Huskies to an 11-2 record and a No. 8 overall finish in the AP poll. The lefty quarterback finished No. 8 in the 2022 Heisman voting as reward for the 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns that he threw. 

How and why Penix left Indiana can be re-litigated to the end of time. He was Indiana's golden boy, but also had plenty of clunkers. He left because the offensive line was poor and he was scared of getting injured, but also a lot of his injuries had nothing to do with pass protection. On and on it goes. 

Allen and the Hoosiers once again have a promising redshirt freshman quarterback in Tayven Jackson. Dwelling on the past doesn't help anyone, but it sure must be bittersweet for IU fans to see the quarterback they once called their own excelling for another team on the national stage. 

Related Stories on Indiana Football:

• HOOSIER ROUNDTABLE PODCAST: Daniel and Jack recap Indiana's 21-14 loss to Louisville, and spend a lot of time talking about how great Tayven Jackson's second half performance was, but also how it was ruined by a truly indefensible play call on fourth-and-goal with the game on the line. CLICK HERE
• STOCK UP, STOCK DOWN FROM IU LOSS TO LOUISVILLE: Tayven Jackson and Jaylin Lucas have truly emerged as stars on the Indiana offense, but the play calling of Walt Bell, as well as the run blocking of the offensive line, continues to hold the unit back from its full potential. CLICK HERE
• PLAY CALLING WASTED TAYVEN JACKSON'S PERFORMANCE: Indiana had an incredible second half against Louisville, and almost won the game thanks to a great game from quarterback Tayven Jackson, but were doomed by a slow start and a terrible play call on fourth-and-goal. CLICK HERE
• GAME STORY, IU LOSES 21-14: Indiana's furious second half comeback fell short on Saturday, as the Hoosiers couldn't fully overcome a 21-0 halftime deficit against the Louisville Cardinals. CLICK HERE