Michael Penix Jr.'s trust in Kalen DeBoer brought Washington back to a national power

Quarterbacks transfer all the time in major college football, but I don't think we have fully appreciated what Michael Penix Jr. has accomplished in his illustrious collegiate career. He initially played for Tom Allen at Indiana before following his former IU offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer over to Washington a few years later. The 2019 season in Bloomington changed the course of U-Dub history.

Penix had already made a name for himself as the sensational sophomore on the 2020 Indiana Hoosiers squad. It may have been a COVID-shortened season, but Penix would have had IU in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff as something like the No. 11 seed if that format had been adopted back then. It is still at four for one final season, but Penix has Washington in the big dance.

I had the unique opportunity of speaking with Penix over the phone Friday morning on behalf of Amazon Same-Day Delivery. Amazon is synonymous with Seattle, just like Penix is with Huskies football playing in the same great American city. Intrigued by the Tampa native's willingness to move halfway across the country twice for college, I had to ask him about what makes DeBoer so special.

What I found out is that DeBoer's one year of calling plays for Allen at Indiana was all that Penix needed to see. Once DeBoer left Fresno State to take over for an ineffective Jimmy Lake at Washington, Penix knew that he wanted to be part of something special in the Pacific Northwest.

"It just came from building trust with Coach DeBoer for sure. I feel like we built that trust and that connection so fast because he wasn't really there too long. He got there in the spring and was gone after that season. I just feel like our chemistry that we have together, on the field and in meetings, he just gave me an opportunity to be successful in every way."

Penix could not emphasize enough how great of a play-caller DeBoer was and how that factored heavily into his decision to commit to Washington in 2022. He also wanted to move to Seattle, too.

"On the field, I always felt so comfortable with his play-calling. When I got there, I didn't have too much to worry about because he helped me get to the next level. I wanted to be part of that again. Moving to a great city like Seattle with a great fan base definitely factored into that decision."

Now as part of the Seattle community forever, as one of the greatest players ever in Husky lore, Penix attaching his growing brand to one of the city's biggest businesses as a spokesman was a no-brainer.

"So Amazon Same-Day Delivery, it was an amazing experience to be able to get involved with Amazon. Obviously, to help Amazon celebrate its delivery of its one billionth package from a Same-Day site in the U.S. I got involved because Amazon is something I've always been a huge fan of, always being on Amazon and getting packages and stuff like that.

Thankfully, NIL opportunities such as this afforded Penix a creative way to interact with young fans.

"Obviously, transferring to Washington and being in Seattle where it's headquartered, it allowed me to get more involved in it. It provided me the opportunity to do this special thing and to help deliver to Washington fans. It's been an amazing experience."

Here is Penix delivering a pair of packages to a few young Washington fans around the Seattle area.

No matter where Penix plays next, he will always have a place in Seattle from his time at Washington.

Michael Penix Jr.'s trust in Kalen DeBoer has Washington back in playoff

As a college football writer and analyst, I distinctly remember when Penix decided to reunite with DeBeor at Washington. Mistakingly, I thought DeBoer was Indiana's offensive coordinator during Penix's breakout season of 2020, but the head coach was already at Fresno State. I had a feeling the connection could be exactly what Washington needed after really pulling back under Lake in 2021.

To me, I think Penix's trust in DeBoer is directly correlated to his instinctive nature on the football field. He is not as big of an ad-libber as some, but he is not afraid to go off-script if that is what the game requires. Penix plays with a great deal of confidence. His desire to win rubs off on his teammates in all the right ways. He gains this confidence from playing for a coach he trusts will put him in good spots.

No matter what happens in the upcoming national semifinal vs. Texas in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, Penix leaves college football better than he found it. An incredibly electrifying player to watch and cover, but also a humble man who puts others ahead of himself. His physical traits are good, but his intangibles are what will get him selected high in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft later this spring.

Ultimately, Penix has the personality and the quiet confidence to be successful at whatever he does, on and off the field. The people he puts his trust and faith in are a direct reflection of his great decision-making processes. Whether it is throwing deep balls to Rome Odunze in Pac-12 play, or partnering up with Amazon to deliver packages to kids, Penix is always willing to assist in Seattle.

Win or lose, Penix is one of the good guys who is taking part in the upcoming College Football Playoff.

Michael Penix Jr. spoke with FanSided on behalf of Amazon Same-Day Delivery.

Just in time for the holidays, Amazon is celebrating its billionth package delivered from a Same-Day site in the U.S. and surprised lucky Prime members with the help of Quarterback and Prime Member, Michael Penix Jr.

Whether it’s preparing for the big game or enjoying Thursday Night Football, Michael’s Prime membership is a key part of his everyday routine. Michael made special deliveries to the homes of Prime members around the Seattle area to commemorate the occasion.

The Prime members received a variety of items including footballs, board games, an Echo Pop, speakers, a waffle maker, a cheeseboard, and an Amazon.com gift card—all items available with Same-Day Delivery and perfect for last-minute gifts or holiday hosting essentials.

With the convenience of Same-Day Delivery, Amazon Prime members in more than 90 metro areas in the U.S. can place their orders in the morning and receive them within hours. Learn more about Same-Day Delivery here.

“Whether it's preparing for the big game, or enjoying Thursday Night Football, my Prime membership is a key part of my everyday routine,” Penix said. “With Same-Day Delivery, between the time the order is placed and the time it gets to your door, each product is traveling fewer miles and experiencing fewer handoffs."

“If you think about it, it's basically like a football play and I’m the quarterback. Fewer handoffs, and less time in between plays to reach the ultimate goal—touchdown!”