Washington coach Kalen DeBoer uses a dash of hyperbole while describing the artistry behind the seen-on-Saturday product that has put the Huskies squarely in the Pac-12, College Football Playoff and perhaps national championship race. How much does Penix trust his receivers?
"I probably don't mean this literally, but there are a lot of balls he could probably just throw with his eyes closed because he's thrown that route to those guys so many times," DeBoer told Sporting News.
That familiarity, and the nation's best passing attack, will be in the spotlight Saturday.
No. 7 Washington averages 446.4 passing yards per game heading into a top-10 Pac-12 showdown with No. 8 Oregon at Husky Stadium. Penix leads the nation in total offense with 401.6 yards per game, and three receivers average more than 15.0 yards per catch.
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DeBoer was the offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019 – when Penix was in his second season for the Hoosiers on a team that finished 8-5 and reached the Gator Bowl. Three years later, the tandem reunited when Penix transferred during DeBoer's first season at Washington. Penix led the FBS in total offense with 364.1 yards per game last season – and the Huskies are seeing even better results in 2023.
The Huskies' offense is no longer the best-kept secret in college football because it is out in the wide open – and we mean that literally. Penix is tied with LSU's Jayden Daniels with the most completions of 20 yards or more at 20 – and the Huskies have played one less game than LSU. Penix is 20 of 38 for 712 yards, four TDs and two interceptions on those passes.
DeBoer credits offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb for crafting that offense around Penix and Rome Odunze (608 yards, 4 TDs), Jai'lynn Polk (468 yards, 4 TDs) and Jalen McMillan (311 yards, 3 TDs). Michigan State transfer Germie Bernard (231 yards, 1 TD) has emerged as yet another option, and an experienced offensive line has opened up the running game for Dillon Johnson (240 yards, 4 TDs). DeBoer said the scheme has built-in vertical shots, and Penix has been the perfect conductor for the offense.
"The thing about Michael, I think we trust him so much that we can call those plays," DeBoer said. "Worst-case scenario it's a check-down and because the defense drops so deep the check-down can go for a first down, even up to 15 or 20 yards. He's smart with the ball and knows we have the playmakers to get the ball down the field. Those right times will come."
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Penix has emerged as the Heisman Trophy favorite as a result – he currently has better odds than USC's Caleb Williams – who won the award last season and is the projected favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Huskies and Trojans will meet on Nov. 4 in what will be the most-anticipated quarterback matchup of the season. Penix's NFL Draft stock also is rising, and the left-handed quarterback continues to answer questions about his technique. That release no longer catches DeBoer by surprise because he's watched it for five years.
"I could see how you or most college football fans would perceive it," DeBoer said. "I just know when he throws the ball it's a very natural motion, the ball is a tight spiral and one of the big things Mike does is he throws an extremely catchable football. Our guys know the ball is accurate but it is catchable.
"Some guys every ball is a 100 miles per hour it doesn't matter if you are 25 yards down the field or five yards down the field,” he said. "Those get hard to catch. Mike is not that. Mike's ball is extremely catchable. That's a big reason why he has such a high completion percentage."
These are the same kinds of praises that were heaped on left-hander Tua Tagovailoa in 2018 when he was leading Alabama's high-powered offense. Tagovailoa, of course, now leads the Miami Dolphins – who are atop the NFL with 513.6 yards per game through five weeks.
HEISMAN ODDS: Michael Penix Jr. in the lead, Brock Bowers jumps in top 10
Employee of the month 🏹#Penix4Heisman | @themikepenix pic.twitter.com/HlTMDZJdlD
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) October 9, 2023
Penix could be that kind of quarterback in the future, but in the present tense Washington and Oregon meet on Saturday in a battle of the top two statistical offenses in the FBS. Penix suffered season-ending injuries four times at Indiana before transferring. DeBoer – who was 67-3 at Sioux Falls in the NAIA from 2005-09 before working his way up the FBS coaching ranks – continues to marvel at the veteran quarterback on and off the field.
"There isn't a gap in his game," DeBoer said. "He's just all-around a great player. The throws? He can make them all. He's got a quick release, he's got amazing instincts. He understands defenses and his football IQ is extremely high. … Our team follows him and is there for him because they believe in him. He's easy to root for. He's been through a lot in his career, and he continues to keep fighting.”
