Penix Goes From Setback to Opportunity in 2019
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Written by Amanda Pavelka
In a Monday morning press conference, Tom Allen answered the biggest, most impending question of the 2019 Indiana football preseason— who would be quarterback number one. Under immense pressure to produce a successful season in his third year at the helm of Indiana football, Allen described a painstaking process used to name Michael Penix as the leader of Indiana’s offense.
Penix managed to outperform both Peyton Ramsey and Jack Tuttle in fall camp, and to say it was a close call is an understatement.
“It was a very difficult decision in regards to the competition involved with the young men that,” Allen explained, “Jack Tuttle and Peyton is just— Peyton is an awesome kid. He's one of the finest young men I've ever been around. And so much respect for him, and that was a hard conversation.”
Ramsey has started 16 games, totaling 4,127 yards and 29 touchdown passes. He was Mr. Consistency as starting quarterback the entire 2018 season, named Indiana’s all-time completion percentage leader with 65.8 percent last season. Penix’s opportunities to prove himself as the four-star QB from Florida were cut short when he tore his ACL against Penn State last October.
“It wasn't what Peyton didn't do, it was more of what I believe Mike can be,” Allen said.
Penix played in 3 games before he took the medical redshirt. He went 21 for 34 (62 percent) for 219 yards and one touchdown total against Florida International, Ball State, and nationally-ranked Penn State.
“I took that that setback as an opportunity—,” Penix said, “an opportunity to get better, more time to study in the film room, make sure that I'm on my game whenever I get back, and that's what I did.”
How he bounced back from his injury to beat out Ramsey with a year of experience as QB one is the most intriguing subjects going into the season kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium.
A common fear coming back from a serious injury is reinjury, and after being hit on his hurt leg in practice without pain, Penix is all the more confident in his ability to lead Indiana’s offense.
“I feel like it was good for me because quarterbacks are going to get hit, but that just showed me that I’m ready and I don't have anything to worry about. I just need to go out and play.”
What are we to expect from Penix on Saturday? Well, he was asked just that on Monday after being announced starting quarterback and here’s what he said: “a great game, a positive game—just leading the offense and making sure we get a win.”