After his spectacular performance in the Sugar Bowl against the Texas Longhorns, Washington Huskies’ quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. has solidified his name in Washington history.
Right now he is considered one of the top NFL prospects for the 2024 draft, and if he wins the National Championship on the 8th, he will rank even higher on the charts. Let’s prepare Michael Penix Jr.’s biography as a standout collegiate player before he leaves for the NFL.
Contents
Dossier
| Full Name | Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. |
| Age | 23 years old |
| Place Of Birth | Cookeville, Tennessee |
| Occupation | American Football Player |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91m) |
| Weight | 213 lb (97kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Team | Washington Huskies |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Parents | Takisha Penix and Michael Penix Sr. |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| Endorsements | Montlake Futures, Husky Throwbacks, and Simply Seattle |
Early Life And Family
23-year-old Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. was born on May 8, 2000, in Cookeville, Tennessee, to Takisha Penix and Michael Penix Sr. Along with their three kids, they moved to Tampa, Florida soon after during Michael’s formative years where he attended Tampa Bay Technical High School and found his true calling.
He got his athletic genes from his mom, a track and field athlete at Tennessee Tech University, and his love of football from his dad, who was also a star running back at Tennessee Tech University.
Currently, Takisha is a senior project manager at Lockheed Martin and Michael Penix Sr. is a high-school football coach and a counselor for troubled children at AMIKids.
High School Career
During his high school years at Tampa Bay Technical High School, Michael Penix Jr. was the starting quarterback for two seasons and led the offense for the Titans.
At Tampa Bay Tech he put up impressive numbers, throwing for 4,243 yards and 61 touchdowns with an exceptional interception ratio, throwing only six picks throughout his high school career.
His impressive statistics caught the attention of college scouts, earning him a three-star recruit rating from 247Sports. After high school, he decided to take his talents to Indiana University.
College Career
Michael’s college career has been filled with its ups and downs, and brutal injuries that stagnated his college career right from the beginning. Let’s look at the timeline of his college career:
2018-2021 (Indiana University)
- Enrolled at Indiana University as a true freshman.
- Makes a collegiate debut, starting in three games before suffering a season-ending torn ACL.
- Granted redshirt status due to injury.
- Named the starting quarterback the next season.
- Played in six games completing 110/160 passes for 1,394 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, before another injury cut his season short.
- He tears his ACL again next season, ending his season after only 9 games.
- Stats: Completes 147/229 passes for 1,641 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
- Recovers from injury and serves as a backup quarterback.
- Transfers to the University of Washington.
2022-2024 (University of Washington):
- Named starting quarterback.
- Led the Huskies to an 11-2 record, becoming the first Washington QB to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season.
- FBS leader in passing yards (357 yards per game)
- Became Washington Huskies’ all-time single-season passing leader (4,641 yards).
- AP Comeback Player of the Year.
- Finished 8th in Heisman Trophy voting.
- Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP.
- Announced he will return for his senior season.
2023 was Penix Jr.’s breakout season, throwing for over 4,600 yards and 38 touchdowns. He bagged the Maxwell Award and nearly nabbed the Heisman. He led Washington to the national championship game and rewrote Huskies’ passing records, all while being named Sugar Bowl’s offensive MVP and comeback player of the year. Talk about a season!
Michael Penix Jr.’s NIL Deal
Michael Penix Jr.’s NIL(Name, Image, and Likeness) deal is estimated to be $1.3 million annually as of 2024. This puts him at 13th rank among all college football athletes.
He has collaborated with multiple brands like Husky Throwbacks, and Simply Seattle which are sports apparel and equipment companies. Besides, one of his most notable NIL deals is with Montlake Futures, which spans multiple years.
Conclusion
Michael Penix Jr. has made a name for himself at the Washington Huskies while also reviving their football program. Along the way, he picked up many accolades and broke a few records.
While his Sugar Bowl MVP award in and of itself sings his praise, we are excited to see what will happen on the night of the 8th, in the national championship game at NRG stadium.
