Michael Penix Jr.

Summary

Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. (PENN-iks /ˈpɛnɪks/; born May 8, 2000) is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and Washington Huskies, winning the 2023 Maxwell Award and leading the latter to an appearance in the 2024 national championship. Penix was selected by the Falcons eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Michael Penix Jr.
refer to caption
Penix in 2024
Atlanta Falcons
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (2000-05-08) May 8, 2000 (age 23)
Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:216 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:Tampa Bay Technical (Tampa, Florida)
College:
NFL draft:2024 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
Roster status:Unsigned draft pick
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com

Early life and high school edit

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 edit

Indiana edit

As a true freshman 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 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 edit

As a junior on December 14, 2021, Penix transferred to the University of Washington,[14] and led the Huskies to an 11–2 record in 2022. Penix was the FBS leader in passing yards per game the 2022 regular season, averaging 357 yards per game.[15] He threw 4,641 passing yards, becoming the Washington Huskies all-time single-season passing leader during the Alamo Bowl. He won the Maxwell Award and was named AP Comeback Player of the Year.[16][17][18][19]

His senior year, Penix led the 2023 Huskies to an undefeated 13-0 regular season and the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship game, which they lost. Penix finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest ever for a Husky,[20] and led the NCAA in passing yards, with 4,903, beating his previously set University of Washington single-season passing yards record.[21] 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.

College statistics edit

Season 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 edit

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 2+14 in
(1.89 m)
216 lb
(98 kg)
33+58 in
(0.85 m)
10+12 in
(0.27 m)
4.58 s 1.58 s 2.61 s 36.5 in
(0.93 m)
10 ft 5 in
(3.18 m)
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[22][23]

Penix was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.[24]

Personal life edit

Penix is a Christian.[25] His father was a running back at Tennessee Tech in the 1990s and holds several school rushing records, with his mother running track at Tennessee Tech.[26]

References edit

  1. ^ "Heisman favorite Michael Penix Jr.'s career was launched in Dade City". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., was a huge recruiting get for Indiana". SI.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  3. ^ "Tampa Bay Tech's Michael Penix Jr. chooses Indiana". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "Indiana QB Penix out for season with torn ACL". ESPN.com. October 22, 2018. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  5. ^ Osterman, Zach. "IU QB Michael Penix ahead of schedule as he rehabs from torn ACL". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  6. ^ Osterman, Zach. "Insider: Hoosiers' choice of Michael Penix at QB is a risk — but one worth taking". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  7. ^ "Monday's college football: Penix Jr. beats out Ramsey for Indiana starting QB job". The Detroit News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  8. ^ Indiana, Kevin Brockway CNHI Sports (August 30, 2019). "Poised QB Penix set to make IU starting debut". Herald Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Indiana loses starting QB Penix for rest of season". ESPN.com. November 5, 2019. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  10. ^ Blau, Jon. "QB Michael Penix ready to prove what's possible for IU football". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  11. ^ Charboneau, Matt. "'Talented and tough': Michigan State knows Michael Penix Jr.-led No. 10 Indiana is no fluke". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  12. ^ Kravitz, Bob. "Kravitz: At last, Indiana's Michael Penix Jr. is fulfilling his promise". The Athletic. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  13. ^ Sallee, Barrett (November 30, 2020). "Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in win over Maryland". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  14. ^ "Ex-Hoosiers QB Penix transferring to Washington". December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  15. ^ "NCAA College Football FBS current individual Stats | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  16. ^ Kasabian, Paul. "College Football Awards 2023: Results, Winners, Highlights and Twitter Reaction". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Washington Huskies". Washington Huskies. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  18. ^ Vorel, Mike (August 31, 2023). "'All I see is resiliency': How Husky QB Michael Penix Jr. has built a career by bouncing back". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  19. ^ "Penix, Ibrahim, Latu earn comeback player of the year honors". AP News. December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  20. ^ "Washington Huskies". Washington Huskies. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  21. ^ "2023 FBS Passing Statistics | The Football Database". January 10, 2024. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  22. ^ "Michael Penix Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  23. ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Michael Penix Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  24. ^ Andres, Patrick (April 25, 2024). "NFL World Floored by Falcons Taking Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 in NFL Draft". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  25. ^ Mercer, Kevin (January 2, 2024). "QB Michael Penix Jr. leads Washington to CFP title game: 'I gotta thank God for everything'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  26. ^ Billy Shank, "2024 Sugar Bowl Preview: QB Michael Penix is the Engine that Makes Washington Go," Burnt Orange Nation, December 26, 2023.

External links edit

  • Michael Penix Jr. on Twitter
  • Washington Huskies bio
  • Indiana Hoosiers bio