Michael Penix Jr. is one win away from turning into a nationwide champion, however his path to fame has been removed from typical.
The Washington Huskies quarterback is finishing his sixth season of faculty soccer. Earlier than transferring to Pacific Northwest, Penix performed at Indiana, the place he suffered 4 completely different season-ending accidents and exited the Hoosiers' program embarrassed and disgusted.
The trials Penix confronted throughout his first 4 seasons have been staggering. At one level, he even thought-about quitting the game altogether.
He desperately wanted power, goal, and assist. He discovered it by means of his religion.
“There have been instances once I would get up on the day of the sport, I might await my roommate to depart, and I might simply lay on the ground and simply cry to God and pray that he would shield me that day,” Penix instructed the August Pac- 12 Community. “All the things I've achieved up till right this moment has introduced a number of heartache. It's not going to be straightforward to be nice. I'm greater than only a soccer participant, and deep down I'm a man who by no means quits.”
Penix's resilience has paid off large over the previous few months as he's racked up a nation-best 4,648 yards and 35 touchdowns because the Heisman Trophy runner-up and star of the undefeated Huskies.
It could be straightforward for the gifted left-hander to lose sight of his priorities in all of the success, however the Christian QB has remained humble by means of all of it, taking each alternative to reward God whereas within the highlight.
“I’ve to present credit score to the person up there and thank God for the whole lot he's put me by means of to get me to the place I’m right this moment,” Penix instructed ESPN's Holly Rowe after beating Oregon on Oct. 14. the signature second of his distinguished profession to this point. “I’m so happy with this staff and I thank God for the whole lot he has allowed me to have.
Within the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal in opposition to Texas, Penix had a passing efficiency for the ages, posting a near-perfect 97.7 QBR and making a sequence of spectacular throws to garner nationwide consideration.
His 430 yards and two touchdowns helped carry Washington over the favored Longhorns, however Penix once more refused to say any sort of credit score.
“I don't wish to say I wished to give up, however it was arduous at instances, you already know, and I needed to lean on those I like essentially the most,” Penix mentioned in an on-court interview. after successful on January 1st. “However being right here means rather a lot. I’m tremendous blessed and have the person upstairs to thank. I’ve to thank God for the whole lot He has put me by means of to get thus far. It was a blessing and I loved the journey.”
Penix's journey continues when Washington faces Michigan within the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation on Monday at 5:30 PM MST in Houston.
