Despite bitter disappointment, the Huskies laid the foundation for a bright new future

HOUSTON – WashingtonThe hopes of a national title were already gone when Michael Penix Jr.'s last pass landed harmlessly on the grass at the NRG Stadium on Monday evening. As he clutched his midsection and limped toward the sideline for the final time, one might well have wondered if he should have still been out there with the Huskies trailing by 21 points.

One play earlier, Penix blocked a big hit and was slow to recover, but the thought that he wouldn't see his last college game never crossed his mind.

“[I’m] “Better than three years ago,” Penix said. “I'm just glad I was able to finish it with the boys. “I knew I didn't want them to take me out of the game because I'd been through it too many times.

There on the sideline to greet him was Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, the man who coached him for a season Indiana in 2019 and brought him to Seattle two years ago after four straight seasons ended due to injuries. They hugged briefly before Penix continued on to the medical tent, where he stayed Michigan'S JJ McCarthy I had to kneel down to look at Michigan 34-13 win.

Outside the tent, several of Penix's teammates gathered, waiting for their leader to show up. When he did, gold confetti fell from the rafters shortly after the end of the game. Fighting to contain his emotions, Penix hugged his teammates before heading to the locker room. DeBoer has spoken at length this season about the strong bond he shares with Penix, and in their brief sideline interaction, DeBoer said he conveyed that to him again.

“I just asked him if he was OK because he's obviously been hit a few times,” DeBoer said. “Make sure he’s okay. And it was a short time that we spent there together.” [on the sideline]. I just wanted to make sure he knew how I felt about him.

“This guy came here and the trust he gave me to rally people around him, be it offensive staff, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, other players, and he moved all over the country. “I just can do it.” I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have that trust from someone like Michael because this was his last attempt.”

Penix rejected the suggestion that there was anything seriously wrong with him.

“I'm not healthy, but I'll be there. I'm fine,” he said. “…I talked to the doctors and things like that. It's nothing big. If I had to play tomorrow, I would play.”

In two seasons together in Seattle, DeBoer and Penix combined to go 25-3. It was the kind of run that probably exceeded their honest expectations when Penix arrived in January 2023, but at the same time also ended in real disappointment.

Coming so close to a national title and not making it is not a defeat that is easily overcome.

“When you see players care so much about what happens on the football field, when you see they love each other, when you see they have expectations and when you fall short like we did tonight, then “It just makes you feel – I'm sorry,” DeBoer said. “I’m sorry they couldn’t achieve a championship this year.”

A national title had been the goal for well over a year. When Penix decided to go back to school in early December 2022, the pursuit of the championship was an important part of the calculation. Star receiver Rome Odunze has repeatedly stated since his commitment that he believes the Huskies could win the school's first title since 1991.

This is something the coaching staff has also embraced.

Just before training camp began, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who has coached with DeBoer since his time at NAIA Sioux Falls a decade and a half ago, had lunch with former UW coach Chris Petersen, who has become a mentor over the past two seasons. Grubb shared with Petersen the message he wanted to convey to his team at the start of camp: 161 days to Houston.

Grubb thought a Pac-12 title was likely, so why not bet on the possible?

Petersen was conflicted. He expressed concern about setting a target that could be taken off the board with a single loss. Why not focus on the conference?

“He was like, 'I don't know, you lose one and then you can still win the Pac,'” Grubb said. “But I was decisive. I said, 'I'll do it.' And he said, 'Hey, maybe you're right.'”

At the first offensive meeting during camp, Grubb shared a slide that started the countdown to Houston. And every week during the season the number got smaller, culminating in a final meeting in Seattle after beating Texas in the Sugar Bowl: 6 days to Houston.

“I remember him saying he was struggling whether to show up or not [the countdown slide]“UW tight end.” Jack Westover said. “He told us how heavy it was on his heart to let us know that he believed in us and the vision he had for this team.”

Grubb said: “If you raise the bar here, they will climb higher. They simply will. That’s exactly what they did.”

The Huskies' trip to Houston didn't go the way they wanted, but their accomplishments still compare well historically from both a program and conference perspective. Washington is the only team in the Pac-12 era (2011–2023) to go undefeated in the regular season and the second team to reach the College Football Playoff National Championship game (Oregon, 2014).

“I think you can just look at it based on where you got to, and obviously we want to win the national championship, not just be in the national championship,” Grubb said. “At the same time, I think you just look at what we were able to accomplish and we played a lot of good teams besides Michigan and played well. So I think the guys can see something.”

For Odunze, the game was more than just an opportunity to secure the team's place in program history. He understood that an unusual legacy was at play, as the Huskies represented the Pac-12 for the last time after the conference collapsed five months ago.

“I think it's sad for me, it's sad in a way, just because the Pac-12 – that West Coast football, West Coast teams competing against West Coast teams that way, isn't going to be as prevalent.” said Odunze. “But every team is still out there. Each team will continue to play football games. So those fan bases will continue to be able to enjoy those different aspects and their teams on the West Coast.”

“But it's sad, and that was one of the reasons we went there today, one of our motivations to bring it home.” [Pac-12] and for the West Coast.”

With Oregon State and Washington State the only two teams remaining in the Pac-12, the Conference of Champions football's two-decade national title drought will likely last forever.

Washington, which won its first conference football title in 1916 as part of the Pacific Coast Conference, is headed to the Big Ten next season. The Huskies won't have to wait long for another breakthrough at Michigan, as the Wolverines travel to Seattle for their third conference play game on October 5th.

There will be a changing of the guard with Penix heading to the NFL, but under DeBoer it feels like the Huskies are just getting started.