'We Couldn't Get Him': How Washington's Michael Penix Frustrated Texas Defense
The Washington Huskies, specifically quarterback Michael Penix Jr., brought their A-game with them to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the second of two college football semifinal games, and it proved enough to end the Texas Longhorns' season. The 37-31 heartbreaker for Texas fans can mostly be attributed to an otherworldly performance from Penix.
The sixth-year quarterback, who, after spending the first four years of his career at Indiana, transferred to the Huskies and now boasts a 2-0 head-to-head record against the Longhorns, with the last matchup being a play-in for the national championship.
Penix was at the heart of all things good for the Huskies' offense, as he completed 29 of his 38 attempts for 430 yards and two touchdowns and took advantage of a Texas secondary that many labeled as the weakness of an otherwise top-level defense.
So what was the problem for a Texas defense that was arguably the team's strength?
Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half of the 2024 Sugar Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Caesars Superdome.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
"We just couldn't get him on the ground," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said of the Longhorns' inability to pressure Penix. "And that was probably the most frustrating part. He was elusive in the pocket. And he did a good job of avoiding the rush and then keeping his eyes. And then I thought they did a good job of taking advantage of some one-on-one matchups when they got them.
And it just kind of felt like every time they threw it, and we were in pretty good coverage, they made the play. And that's a credit to them."
It was a disappointing end for a Texas front seven that boasted several future NFL Draft picks, including a potential first-round selection.
However, after entering Monday's matchup averaging 2.6 sacks per game, Texas was held sackless against Penix and a Huskies offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award, annually given to the "most outstanding offensive line unit."
And while sacks certainly aren't the end-all, be-all for judging the productivity of a pass rush, to Sarkisian's point, even when Texas generated pressure, it didn't seem to matter.
After finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, Penix delivered the type of revenge performance that even Longhorn fans can respect, seeing as their own Vince Young made a case for why he should've won the award when he led Texas to their last national championship back in 2005.
Yet, as Penix acknowledged during the Sugar Bowl's trophy presentation, the Huskies still have the national championship game left to play against the Michigan Wolverines. Meanwhile, the Longhorns will be forced to watch from home and begin preparations for the offseason.
