Penix on Getting Other Huskies to Join Him in 2023: 'I'm Working on Everybody'

The UW quarterback discussed his decision to return at the UW.

Michael Penix Jr. was surrounded on one side by Rome Odunze, Troy Fautanu on the other, University of Washington players with football eligibility remaining yet the NFL beckoning.

A week following the junior quarterback making his surprising decision to return to the Huskies in 2023, he was asked in a post-practice media session over the weekend whether he was encouraging promising players such as Fautanu, his starting left tackle and a sophomore, to join him for another season. 

"I'm working on everybody," Penix said. "I'm trying to keep this thing intact, man. Special group."

The Indiana transfer has enjoyed a sensational season in which he's helped restore the Huskies to prominence with a 10-2 record, six victories better than 2021, and he leads the nation in passing yards (4,354) and passing yards per game (362.8) entering the Alamo Bowl against the Texas Longhorns. 

Rather than declare for the NFL draft, especially after showing up in mock drafts as a first-rounder, Penix surprised coach Kalen DeBoer and his teammates at the Husky banquet with a video revealing his intention to return as a sixth-year senior.

"I'm in a good position to just be able to spend another year in college, another year to develop and to continue to elevate my game," he said, "so that when this time comes around next year, I'll be ready."

While Penix easily could have entered the draft, with his advantageous 6-foot-3, 213-pound quarterback frame and near 70 percent throwing accuracy, he saw how much DeBoer's coaching staff polished his game and made everything fun — and he wanted more.  

The quarterback and DeBoer as his offensive coordinator had spent a season together at Indiana and made great inroads. Penix and UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb similarly hit it off this season. That was enough for him to seek more of their offensive insights before he turns pro.

"For sure, that's the reason I came here," Penix said. "I already knew they were going to do that. Coach DeBoer did it with me in 2019 at Indiana. so I knew coming here I definitely would have the opportunity to do something special and continue to elevate my game."

He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting over the weekend, an award won by USC quarterback Caleb Williams, but he didn't seem to be too concerned about anything other than getting ready for his Dec. 29 postseason game in San Antonio.

Penix is definitely his own quarterback, so poised and confident in who he is as an athlete and a person. He came to Seattle to become a better quarterback and he'll spend another season here taking it to another level.

"I wouldn't say I'm surprised," Penix said of his Husky success. "For me, it's another day of being myself, another day of being out here."

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