Penix Calls Audible, Announces his 2023 Husky Return

The UW quarterback possibly could have been a first-round pick in the next draft, but it's moot now.

After Kalen DeBoer's University of Washington football team had accepted an invitation to play Texas in the Alamo Bowl, the first-year coach was asked once more if his quarterback Michael Penix Jr. planned on playing in the postseason game or opting out to protect his NFL interests.

Well, It seems the nation's leading passer has anywhere from 13 to 16 games left in him as a Husky football player.

To say the least, the 6-foot-3, 213-pound left-hander from Tampa, Florida, surprised just about everyone across the college football landscape when at 7 p.m. on Sunday night he announced in a video on social media that he intended to return for the 2023 UW football season.

"After long talks with family, coaches and other trusted supporters, I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life of what I felt was best for my future," Penix said in the video released on Twitter. "With that being said, as I look back at the special season that we had, I realize there were so many great moments and things to celebrate. I know for sure there is so much out for this team and the job is still not finished. I can't wait to be playing in Husky Stadium for the 2023 season. Husky Nation, we rolling."

If DeBoer can find a stingier defense to surround Penix and his high-powered offense, this automatically makes the Huskies a national championship contender a year from now.

Penix's decision to return comes after CBSSports.com earlier in the week projected the fifth-year QB to become the 14th player taken overall in the first round of next April's NFL draft, going to the Indianapolis Colts, which seemed apropos considered where he began his college career, at Indiana.

Yet DeBoer had told everyone a week ago that he thought the Huskies had a chance of getting another season out Penix in Montlake, that he truly enjoys the college game, let alone he seems to covet his role as the offensive leader of this year's 10-2 UW team.

As the true competitor that he is, Penix might have seen the quarterback-heavy draft coming up and strategically decided he wanted to the No. 1 quarterback taken in 2024, that he needed just a little more time to get the proper exposure and maximum value when he turns pro.

CFP or bust in 2023 Go Dawgs!#PurpleReign #NoLimits https://t.co/KoYYJyjONZ

— Jordan Reffett (@JordanReffett) December 5, 2022

Considering how much he's been ignored in the Heisman Trophy walk-up, with quarterbacks such as Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Alabama's Bryce Young and USC's Caleb Williams drawing much of the attention, this will give Penix a full year to further establish himself in the minds of Heisman voters, the NFL scouts and any CFP committee member who might have low-rated him or his UW football team.

Penix, who played four seasons at Indiana before transferring and reuniting with DeBoer, his Hoosiers offensive coordinator in 2019, leads the nation in two passing categories: season yards (4,354) and yards per game (362.8) while completing 330 of 500 passes for 29 touchdowns.

He's been named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week three times and was selected as Pro Football Focus' second-team All-Pac-12 quarterback last week. He can expect many more accolades in the days to come. 

Penix and his teammates now have three and a half weeks to prepare for Texas. And then, surprise of all surprises, Penix will report for Husky spring football practice.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation or @DanRaley3