Michael Penix Jr. Explained
Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. (; born May 8, 2000) is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers that were limited by injury, Penix had a breakout year with the Washington Huskies in 2022 when he led the FBS in yards per game and set the school season record for passing yards. The following year, he won the Maxwell Award after leading the NCAA in passing yards en route to an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. Penix was selected by the Falcons eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
Early life
Penix was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, but later moved and was raised in Dade City, Florida.[1] Penix attended Tampa Bay Technical High School and started at quarterback for the Titans for two seasons, passing for 4,243 yards with 61 touchdowns and only six interceptions.[2] He committed to Indiana University to play college football.[3]
College career
Indiana (2018–2021)
As a true freshman for the Hoosiers in 2018 at Indiana, Penix played in three games, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and was redshirted.[4] He completed 21 of 34 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown.[5] Named the starter entering the 2019 season,[6] [7] [8] Penix, however, only played in six games due to injury, completing 110 of 160 passes for 1,394 yards, with ten touchdowns and four interceptions.[9] Penix returned to Indiana as the starter for the pandemic-shortened season in 2020.[10] [11] [12] On November 30, he was ruled out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in a win against Maryland.[13]
Washington (2022–2023)
Penix transferred to the University of Washington in December 2021.[14] He was the FBS leader in passing yards per game for the 2022 season (357) and led the Huskies to an 11–2 record.[15] He threw 4,641 passing yards, becoming the Washington Huskies all-time single-season passing leader during the Alamo Bowl. He was named AP Comeback Player of the Year.[16] [17]
His senior year, Penix led the 2023 Huskies to an undefeated 13-0 regular season, a victory over Texas in the CFP Semifinal Game, and the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship game, which they lost 34–13 to Michigan.[18] [19] [20] Penix won the Maxwell Award and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest ever for a Husky.[21] [22] [23] [24] He led the NCAA in passing yards with 4,903, beating his previously set University of Washington single-season passing yards record.[25] Penix was named MVP of the Pac-12 Championship Game, leading UW to a win over rival No. 5 Oregon, and threw for 27-for-39 for 319 yards, one touchdown and one interception.[26]
Statistics
Season! colspan="3"Games | Passing | Rushing |
---|
GP | GS | Record | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
---|
Indiana Hoosiers |
---|
2018 | 3 | 0 | 0–0 | 21 | 34 | 61.8 | 219 | 6.4 | 1 | 0 | 125.6 | 7 | 45 | 6.4 | 0 |
---|
2019 | 6 | 6 | 5–1 | 110 | 160 | 68.8 | 1,394 | 8.7 | 10 | 4 | 157.6 | 22 | 119 | 5.4 | 2 |
---|
2020 | 6 | 6 | 5–1 | 124 | 220 | 56.4 | 1,645 | 7.5 | 14 | 4 | 136.5 | 18 | 25 | 1.4 | 2 |
---|
2021 | 5 | 5 | 2–3 | 87 | 162 | 53.7 | 939 | 5.8 | 4 | 7 | 101.9 | 17 | −24 | −1.4 | 2 |
---|
Washington Huskies |
---|
2022 | 13 | 13 | 11–2 | 362 | 554 | 65.3 | 4,641 | 8.4 | 31 | 8 | 151.3 | 35 | 92 | 2.6 | 4 |
---|
2023 | 15 | 15 | 14–1 | 363 | 555 | 65.4 | 4,903 | 8.8 | 36 | 11 | 157.1 | 35 | 8 | 0.2 | 3 |
---|
Career | 48 | 45 | 37–8 | 1,067 | 1,685 | 63.3 | 13,741 | 8.2 | 96 | 34 | 146.6 | 134 | 265 | 2.0 | 13 | |
---|
Professional career
Penix was selected by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.[27] The pick was seen as a major surprise as the Falcons had signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract earlier in the offseason.[28] [29] [30] He was the fourth of six quarterbacks taken in the first round, tying the 1983 draft for the most in NFL history.[31] Penix signed a four-year fully-guaranteed contract worth $22.8 million on June 24, 2024.[32]
Personal life
Penix is a Christian.[33] His father was a running back for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in the 1990s and holds several school rushing records, with his mother running track at Tennessee Tech.[34]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Knight . Joey . November 16, 2023 . Heisman favorite Michael Penix Jr.'s career was launched in Dade City . January 5, 2024 . Tampa Bay Times . en.
- Web site: Brew . Tom . July 22, 2021 . Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., was a huge recruiting get for Indiana . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112190352/https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/indiana-football-recruiting-florida-michael-penix . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . SI.com.
- Web site: Knight . Joey . December 20, 2017 . Tampa Bay Tech's Michael Penix Jr. chooses Indiana . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201113002917/https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/2017/12/20/tampa-bay-techs-michael-penix-jr-chooses-indiana/ . November 13, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . Tampa Bay Times.
- Web site: Indiana QB Penix out for season with torn ACL. October 22, 2018. ESPN.com. November 12, 2020. November 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112203756/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/25054153/indiana-freshman-qb-michael-penix-season-torn-acl. live.
- Web site: Osterman . Zach . March 1, 2019 . IU QB Michael Penix ahead of schedule as he rehabs from torn ACL . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112184948/https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2019/03/01/iu-football-qb-michael-penix-working-his-way-back-knee-injury/3028264002/ . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . The Indianapolis Star.
- Web site: Osterman . Zach . August 26, 2019 . Insider: Hoosiers' choice of Michael Penix at QB is a risk — but one worth taking . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112221948/https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2019/08/26/indiana-football-names-michael-penix-starting-qb-tom-allen-peyton-ramsey/2119119001/ . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . The Indianapolis Star.
- Web site: Monday's college football: Penix Jr. beats out Ramsey for Indiana starting QB job. Associated Press. The Detroit News. November 12, 2020. November 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201118123532/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2019/08/26/penix-jr-named-indiana-starting-qb/2127666001/. live.
- Web site: Brockway . Kevin . August 30, 2019 . Poised QB Penix set to make IU starting debut . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118123534/https://www.heraldbulletin.com/sports/poised-qb-penix-set-to-make-iu-starting-debut/article_08a54b5a-cb5f-11e9-8fa7-9b2883efbd8e.html . November 18, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . Herald Bulletin.
- Web site: Schlabach . Mark . November 5, 2019 . Indiana loses starting QB Penix for rest of season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112192017/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/28016105/indiana-hoosiers-lose-michael-penix-jr-season-ending-surgery . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . ESPN.com.
- Web site: Blau . Jon . October 22, 2020 . QB Michael Penix ready to prove what's possible for IU football . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112195626/https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2020/10/22/indiana-football-qb-michael-penix-ready-prove-whats-possible-hoosiers/3725594001/ . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . The Indianapolis Star.
- Web site: Charboneau . Matt . November 11, 2020 . 'Talented and tough': Michigan State knows Michael Penix Jr.-led No. 10 Indiana is no fluke . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201117183311/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state-university/2020/11/11/talented-and-tough-michigan-state-knows-michael-penix-jr-led-no-10-indiana-no-fluke/6250853002/ . November 17, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . The Detroit News.
- Web site: Kravitz . Bob . November 7, 2020 . Kravitz: At last, Indiana's Michael Penix Jr. is fulfilling his promise . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112192156/https://theathletic.com/2184340/2020/11/07/indiana-michigan-michael-penix-jr/ . November 12, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . The Athletic.
- News: Sallee . Barrett . Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in win over Maryland . November 30, 2020 . . November 30, 2020 . November 30, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130185701/https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-rankings-oklahoma-works-its-way-into-top-10-of-new-cbs-sports-127/ . live .
- Web site: Uggetti . Paolo . December 14, 2021 . Ex-Hoosiers QB Penix transferring to Washington . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220329113158/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32867336/michael-penix-jr-transferring-washington-four-seasons-indiana . March 29, 2022 . March 29, 2022 . ESPN.com.
- Web site: NCAA College Football FBS current individual Stats . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230115005538/https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs . January 15, 2023 . December 30, 2022 . NCAA.com . en.
- Web site: Vorel . Mike . August 31, 2023 . 'All I see is resiliency': How Husky QB Michael Penix Jr. has built a career by bouncing back . September 15, 2023 . The Seattle Times . en-US . October 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231014205325/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/all-i-see-is-resiliency-how-husky-qb-michael-penix-jr-has-built-a-career-by-bouncing-back/ . live .
- Web site: December 20, 2022 . Penix, Ibrahim, Latu earn comeback player of the year honors . September 15, 2023 . AP News . en . October 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231014205325/https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-washington-huskies-ucla-bruins-michael-penix-9afda34e61c341229d90dfbc8794a5fb . live .
- Web site: 2023 Washington Huskies Schedule and Results . 2024-05-19 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
- Web site: Adelson . Andrea . 2024-01-02 . Penix-led Huskies again 'prove everybody wrong' . 2024-05-19 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: Meek . Austin . 2024-01-09 . Michigan runs over Washington 34-13 to win first national championship since 1997 . 2024-05-19 . The Athletic . en-US.
- Web site: Kasabian . Paul . December 8, 2023 . College Football Awards 2023: Results, Winners, Highlights and Twitter Reaction . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231209090841/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10100387-college-football-awards-2023-results-winners-highlights-and-twitter-reaction . December 9, 2023 . December 10, 2023 . Bleacher Report . en.
- Web site: 2023-12-09 . LSU's Daniels, UW's Penix score top CFB awards . 2024-05-19 . ESPN.com. Associated Press . en.
- Web site: Michael Penix Jr. . January 10, 2024 . Washington Huskies . en.
- Web site: 2023 Heisman Trophy Voting . 2024-05-19 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
- Web site: January 10, 2024 . 2023 FBS Passing Statistics . https://web.archive.org/web/20240110225140/https://www.footballdb.com/college-football/stats/stats.html?mode=P&yr=2023 . January 10, 2024 . January 10, 2024 . The Football Database.
- Web site: Bonagura . Kyle . 2023-12-02 . UW seals CFP bid with victory in Pac-12 farewell . 2024-05-19 . ESPN.com . en.
- News: Yamashita . Andy . UW’s Michael Penix Jr. selected by Falcons with No. 8 pick in NFL draft . May 4, 2024 . Seattle Times . April 25, 2024.
- Web site: NFL World Floored by Falcons Taking Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 in NFL Draft. Andres. Patrick. Sports Illustrated. April 25, 2024. April 25, 2024. en.
- News: Raimondi . Marc . Michael Penix Jr. taken by Falcons in NFL draft surprise . April 27, 2024 . ESPN.com . April 25, 2024.
- News: Bell . Jarrett . Don't blame Falcons just yet for NFL draft bombshell pick of QB Michael Penix Jr. . April 28, 2024 . USA Today . April 26, 2024.
- Web site: Alper . Josh . Six quarterbacks in first round ties NFL record . Pro Football Talk . April 30, 2024 . April 25, 2024.
- Web site: Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. signs rookie deal . 2024-06-24 . AtlantaFalcons.com . en-US.
- Web site: Mercer . Kevin . QB Michael Penix Jr. leads Washington to CFP title game: 'I gotta thank God for everything' . Sports Spectrum . January 2, 2024 . January 9, 2024.
- Web site: Shank . Billy . 2023-12-26 . 2024 Sugar Bowl preview: QB Michael Penix is the engine that makes Washington go . 2024-05-19 . Burnt Orange Nation. SB Nation . en.