Welcome to the Hardcore Husky Forums. Folks who are well-known in Cyberland and not that dumb.
From a gas station watch party to the Alamodome, the Penix family supports UW’s standout QB
DerekJohnson
Administrator, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 64,136 
By Mike Vorel
Seattle Times staff reporter
Michael and Takisha Penix found the perfect place for a family watch party.
On Nov. 12, the couple — married for 21 years — drove 230 miles from Tampa to Neptune Beach, Fla., to attend their son Mekhi’s playoff football game against Fletcher High School. While Mekhi recorded three catches for 32 yards in Tampa Bay Tech’s 34-3 win, Michael and Takisha’s attention was understandably split.
Three-thousand miles west, their eldest son was dismantling the Oregon Ducks.
As Michael Penix Jr. threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s 37-34 win, his parents kept tabs on Takisha’s iPad. First, they streamed the game from the stands, then caught the second half from the car on the long drive home.
The car could not contain them.
“The game got so intense that I kid you not: while we were riding down the road the car was shaking. We were shaking the car,” Michael Penix Sr. said. “We were screaming and yelling like we were at the game.”
Before Oregon attempted a desperation drive with 51 seconds left, the intensity became untenable. On highway 301 outside Starke, Fla. — 150 miles from home — Michael and Takisha pulled into a gas station parking lot, exited and placed the iPad on the roof of their car.
They paced, prayed and partied from the parking lot.
“When they won — oh my goodness! — we were jumping up and down and screaming and yelling and so full of joy,” Penix Sr. said. “I know people must have thought, ‘They must be crazy.’ We were very excited and very happy for him.”
During Michael Jr.’s debut season in Seattle, there’s been plenty to celebrate. The redshirt junior and Indiana transfer leads the nation in both passing yards (4,354) and passing yards per game (362.8), with 66% completions and 33 total touchdowns (29 passing, four rushing). He set school records for single-game passing yards (516) and completions (36, twice), and will likely eclipse Cody Pickett’s single-season passing mark (4,458 yards) in the Alamo Bowl against No. 20 Texas on Dec. 29.
More importantly, he helped lift the No. 12 Huskies from 4-8 in 2021 to 10-2 this fall.
And he did so with a smile.
“For us, it was a highlight for our family just to go out there and be able to see our son with a smile on his face,” Michael Penix Sr. said. “For so long, with all his injures at Indiana, I don’t think he was happy. This year we could see the happiness on his face. You could hear it in his voice. There wasn’t any worry. He was really happy and really having fun, and that’s all we want for any of our kids.”
It helps, like Michael Sr. said, that his son completed a season for the first time in his college career — after an avalanche of injuries. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound lefty sustained ACL tears in 2018 and 2020, a sternoclavicular joint (connecting the clavicle to the sternum) injury in 2019, and an AC joint shoulder separation in 2021.
The goal at Washington was not simply to win.
“We were so pleased just to see him finish the season,” Michael Penix Sr. said. “We had a discussion with him and we told him we want him to just get one game at a time. One game at a time: that’s our goal.
“Because we already knew his athletic ability. We always knew what he could do. Some other people might not have known what he could do, but his talent was nothing that me and my wife ever doubted.”
This fall, the doubt deteriorated — and the NFL draft approached. But instead of leveraging his success into a likely draft pick, Penix Jr. announced Sunday that he will return to Washington for a sixth and final collegiate season in 2023. He made the decision on Saturday, then called his parents and asked UW’s media team to help produce an announcement video — before swearing them to secrecy.
When the video played during UW’s team banquet on Sunday night, it was a surprise to everyone in attendance — coach Kalen DeBoer included. As Penix’s voice-over announced, “I can’t wait to be back playing in Husky Stadium for the 2023 season,” DeBoer raised both hands above his head, exalted, before hugging his past, present and future quarterback.
Wearing a Seattle shirt and a Sonics hat, Penix Jr. lifted a “W” with his prized left hand.
He was with a football family, more than 3,000 miles from home.
“We’ve always been comfortable talking with DeBoer. And then (offensive coordinator) Grubb just made it even better. They’re very easy to talk with. We can reach out to them if we have concerns, or if they have concerns they can reach out to us. It’s really good, knowing we can trust them and they have his best interest at heart.”
Of course, some would say it’s in Penix Jr.’s best interest to immediately pursue the pros. After all, the injury risk is ever-present and his stock may not improve. But on Monday, Michael Penix Sr. said “we always wanted what’s best for him, and he always let us know his goal is to make it to the NFL. He looked over all the things he needed to look over and he spoke to a lot of people concerning his future. And he came up with the decision on his own.”
Added Takisha Penix: “Prior to making the decision, we just told him, ‘Think it through.’ And whatever he decided to do, we would fully support it regardless of what other people say.”
That support will continue in San Antonio. While Michael Sr., Takisha and Cheryl Penix — Michael Jr.’s grandmother — have alternated traveling to games this fall, they’ll be accompanied by 15 to 20 family members and friends at the Alamo Bowl.
It’s nearly time for another family watch party.
For the Husky quarterback, it’s not the first — and it won’t be the last.
Comments