Michael Penix Jr. has had a whirlwind college football career. Arriving in Bloomington in 2018 to play four seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers, his career took him west to Washington, where he evolved into one of the purest passers in the nation.
His college stats show how Penix overcame adversity and season-ending injuries to compete professionally after six years of college ball.
Michael Penix Jr. Gets Injured As a Backup in 2018
Penix committed to Indiana as a three-star recruit from Tampa Bay Technical High School in Florida. After entering three games as a backup to Peyton Ramsey, he redshirted his true freshman season with the Hoosiers.
The lefty quarterback debuted against the FIU Panthers, completing eight of his 10 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown.
However, Penix suffered a torn ACL against the Penn State Nittany Lions in October 2018, ending his season prematurely.
Completions: 21
Attempts: 34
Yards: 219
Comp. %: 61.8%
TDs: 1
INTs: 0
Rush Attempts: 7
Rush Yards: 45
Rush TDs: 0
Penix Is Named the Starter Before Suffering an Injury
After recovering from his ACL tear in the spring, Penix entered the 2019 season as the starter in Bloomington. In the season opener, the quarterback completed 24 of his 40 passes for 326 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
He was sidelined with an injury for Weeks 3 and 4 of the season but returned against the Michigan State Spartans, putting up the best performance of his career. Penix threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort.
Penix played in three more games in 2019, six in total, and guided Indiana to a 7-2 on the season.
However, he endured another season-ending setback. The Indiana quarterback suffered a sternoclavicular joint sprain and Clavicle fracture to his non-throwing shoulder against the Northwestern Wildcats, and the Hoosiers didn’t look the same without him in the lineup.
Completions: 110
Attempts: 160
Yards: 1,394
Comp. %: 68.8%
TDs: 10
INTs: 4
Rush Attempts: 22
Rush Yards: 119
Rush TDs: 2
Penix Fights Through COVID Season
Healthy to begin the season, Penix was again named the starter in Indiana’s COVID-impacted season. With a reduced schedule, the Hoosiers started 4-0 with wins over Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, and Michigan State.
In Week 5, Indiana lost to Ohio State; however, Penix completed 27 of his 51 passes for 491 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception for the best statistical game of his career.
With 14 touchdowns and four interceptions through five games, Penix looked like one of the most explosive throwers in college football. Then, in Week 6 against the Maryland Terrapins, he re-tore his ACL, ending his season.
Despite missing a considerable chunk of the season, Penix earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and was a Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist.
Completions: 124
Attempts: 220
Yards: 1,645
Comp. %: 56.4%
TDs: 14
INTs: 4
Rush Attempts: 18
Rush Yards: 25
Rush TDs: 2
A Fourth Season-Ending Injury Derails Penix’s Indiana Career
Injury punctuated Penix’s career again in 2021. After several season-ending injuries, he played within himself and told the Pac-12 Network how he used to pray in his dorm before games that he wouldn’t get injured.
Penix also said he wasn’t medically cleared to play the season opener against Iowa but opted to play anyway. In that game, the quarterback threw no touchdowns and three interceptions.
MORE: 2024 Washington Huskies Football Roster
It meant he played tight, never looking comfortable. He threw just four touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games before he suffered another injury setback. Penix dislocated a joint in his throwing shoulder, ending his season.
Despite facing four season-ending injuries in four years, Penix’s resilience shone through. Recognizing the need for a change, he entered his name into the transfer portal at the end of the 2021 season, ready to embark on a new chapter in his football journey.
Completions: 87
Attempts: 162
Yards: 939
Comp. %: 53.7%
TDs: 4
INTs: 7
Rush Attempts: 17
Rush Yards: -24
Rush TDs: 2
Penix Begins Anew In Washington
Penix joined Washington from the transfer portal in 2022, linking up with his offensive coordinator from 2019, Kalen DeBoer, a decision that renewed his career. With a change of environment came a new lease of life for the lefty QB, who played in all 13 games in his first season with the Huskies.
Penix’s 2022 season was nothing short of record-breaking. He shattered the school record with an impressive 4,641 passing yards, ranking second in the FBS.
His performances made him only the second Husky to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a single season, earning him eighth place in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Penix’s arrival in Washington in 2022 marked a turning point for the team. With him as their signal-caller, the Huskies finished the season with an impressive 11-2 record. His outstanding performance earned him the AP Comeback Player of the Year award and second-team All-Pac-12 honors.
Completions: 362
Attempts: 554
Yards: 4,641
Comp. %: 65.3%
TDs: 31
INTs: 8
Rush Attempts: 35
Rush Yards: 92
Rush TDs: 4
Penix Leads Washington To the National Championship Game
With Penix leading the charge, Washington entered the 2023 season as a top contender for the Pac-12 title and the College Football Playoffs. His presence at the helm was instrumental in the team’s success, living up to the hype and becoming one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
Starting the year strong, Penix completed 29 of his 40 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns in the season opener against Boise State. The quarterback stepped up in big moments, twice edging out an Oregon team also contending for the playoffs.
Penix broke his own school record with 4,903 passing yards as one of the top passers in the nation. With his confidence, composure, and production, the Huskies advanced to the National Championship Game, which they lost to Michigan.
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Penix completed 27 of his 51 passes for 255 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions despite getting banged up trying to get his team back into contention.
Winning the Maxwell Award, Penix finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest a Husky has finished in history in his final season in college football.
Completions: 363
Attempts: 555
Yards: 4,903
Comp. %: 65.4%
TDs: 36
INTs: 11
Rush Attempts: 35
Rush Yards: 8
Rush TDs: 3
Penix’s Final College Stats
Completions: 1,067
Attempts: 1,685
Yards: 13,741
Comp. %: 63.3%
TDs: 96
INTs: 34
Rush Attempts: 134
Rush Yards: 265
Rush TDs: 13
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