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University of Washington Huskies Football

UW coach Kalen DeBoer, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. take home national awards

Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) chews on his mouth guard as he moves UW to the goal line against Washington State during the first half of a college football game on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Vorel Seattle Times

NEW YORK — While the winner of the Heisman Trophy won’t be announced until Saturday, UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is taking home hardware this weekend either way. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound senior was honored with the Maxwell Award — which recognizes the best player in college football — during a ceremony on ESPN on Friday.

Penix bested fellow finalists Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Bo Nix (Oregon). Although Daniels, who is the betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy, earned the Davy O’Brien Award, which recognizes the nation’s best quarterback.

A Tampa product and Indiana transfer, Penix has completed 65.9% of his passes in the Huskies’ 13-0 season, throwing for 4,218 yards with 33 passing touchdowns (plus three rushing scores) and nine interceptions. He’ll lead No. 2 Washington into a Sugar Bowl tilt with No. 3 Texas on Jan. 1, with a national championship berth hanging in the balance.

Penix is the first Husky to surpass 4,000 passing yards in back-to-back seasons. He also leads the nation in passing yards per game (324.5) for the second consecutive campaign.

“It means a lot to be recognized as the Maxwell winner,” Penix said on the ESPN broadcast, sitting next to his parents and two grandmothers. “It’s definitely something special for us. I know my parents are very proud of me, and my grandparents as well. It took a lot of hard work, but there’s work to be done. We still have playoffs ahead of us. But right now, me being in this moment, I’m super blessed and super honored to receive this award.”

But Penix wasn’t Washington’s lone winner Friday as Kalen DeBoer took home the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award as well. After inheriting a 4-8 program, DeBoer is 24-2 (with an Alamo Bowl win and a Pac-12 title) in less than two full seasons at Washington. The 49-year-old Milbank, S.D., native is 103-11 in nine seasons as a college head coach.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. edged out UW star wideout Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the best receiver in college football.

DeBoer and UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb are expected to fly to New York City on Saturday to support Penix and attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony, which takes place at 5 p.m.