Rome Odunze Lauds Michael Penix Jr. for 'Perseverance Through Injury' at Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Michael Penix Jr. showed flashes of brilliance during his time at Indiana. When he was on the field, it was easy to see he was one of the most talented quarterbacks in the Big Ten.
The problem for Penix, unfortunately, was injury. The quarterback never played in more than seven games with the Hoosiers, struggling to ever get into a rhythm.
After four seasons in Bloomington, Penix decided to reunite with Kalen DeBoer — Indiana's offensive coordinator in 2019 — at Washington. He flourished in those two seasons, playing in all 28 games. Last season, he guided the Huskies to a 14-1 record and a national championship appearance.
Penix's teammate, wide receiver Rome Odunze, applauded Penix for his toughness to battle through adversity.
"Just his arm talent and who he is as a person. To know his story, his perseverance through injury," Odunze said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday. "He was almost a Heisman candidate at Indiana before he got injured and he was dragged through the mud and was able to come out the other side as a Heisman candidate and nearly a national champion."
Penix put together two solid seasons at Indiana in 2019 and 2020. He threw for 3,039 yards and 24 touchdowns with just eight interceptions in that two-year span. But both years were cut short because of injury.
After appearing in just five games for the Hoosiers in 2021, Penix transferred to Washington. He put up huge numbers over the next two years.
In Seattle, Penix threw for 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns with a 65.4% completion rate. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2023 and is now trying to take his game to the NFL.
After two full seasons at the college level, Penix is ready to show he can be a quarterback at the next level — and stay healthy.
"That's another reason why I came back for the 2023 season was just to have another fully healthy season and show that I'm ready to compete and I can do it at the next level," he said. "So, at this point, I can't control if there are still questions about the injury history."
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