To Those Asking If Penix Would Opt Out of a Bowl Game, Are You Kidding?
The last time the University of Washington football team went to a postseason game, Husky tight end Hunter Bryant and offensive tackle Trey Adams opted out of the Las Vegas Bowl against Boise State in order to protect their NFL pursuits.
They weren't willing to risk their health one more time as collegians, choosing to forgo their postseason reward and a trip to Nevada to protect themselves.
As it turned out, neither player was drafted. Bryant played five games for the Detroit Lions and caught a 44-yard pass before the franchise let him go. Adams spent a year on the Buffalo Bills practice squad and he was done. Both are out of football now.
Remembering their early departures, more than one Husky fan has wondered out loud whether UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr., with a considerably higher NFL draft profile, might decide to take a similar route.
To those who know Penix, and his approach to the game, his back history and his enduring mindset, the response goes something like this:
Are you kidding?
Shortly after beating Washington State 51-33 in the Apple Cup, Penix met with reporters and was asked if this was the most fun he'd had as a football player?
"It feels like I'm playing like a kid again," the always ebullient left-hander said. "It's just amazing, being able to go out there and execute at a high level. I'm truly blessed to be in this position."
Penix, who leads the nation in passing with 4,354 yards in 12 games, then brought up the UW's guaranteed but still undetermined bowl game. He's never played in one. Not one half, quarter or play.
Suffering season-ending injuries each of the previous four seasons, he's had to watch as a spectator as his former team, Indiana, advanced to the Gator Bowl against Tennessee and Outback Bowl against Ole Miss, and lost 23-22 and 26-20, respectively.
The Hoosiers could have used one more playmaker to get over the hump in those postseason games — someone such as Penix, who largely was responsible for putting Indiana in position for an extra game in the first place.
Never able to play more than six outings for his Big Ten team, Penix just completed a 12-game season for the UW. He was as healthy as could be throughout this run, one that now includes a six-game winning streak, and he's helped lead the Huskies to 10 victories, all of which is a huge step forward for him.
The Huskies could play in a New Year's Day game, possibly the Rose or Cotton bowls, and face a highly regarded opponent such as Ohio State, LSU, Tennessee, Clemson or Notre Dame. Their quarterback has indicated he's eagerly looking forward to it.
"Last year at this time, I was at home, all four years of college at this time I was at home, watching my guys on the sideline," Penix said of the postseason. "I'm just blessed to be in this position."
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