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Tennessee Volunteers

Michael Penix Jr., one-time Tennessee commit, confirms why he didn’t play for UT

Andrew Olson

By Andrew Olson

Published:

Michael Penix Jr. wanted to be a Tennessee Volunteer. Instead, he spent four seasons at Indiana and now has Washington one win away from the national champion in his second season with the Huskies.

Penix was born in Cookeville, Tennessee. His family moved to Florida and Penix prepped at the Tampa Bay Technical magnet school.

Out of high school, Penix was an under-the-radar recruit. He was rated 3-stars, the No. 21 pro style quarterback and No. 548 prospect overall for 2018 on the 247Sports Composite. Butch Jones, however, liked what he saw and got Penix to commit to Tennessee on an unofficial visit in April 2017.

When Jeremy Pruitt was hired, he pulled Penix’s offer to be a Vol, the QB confirmed in a Saturday media opportunity. Pruitt’s staff extended an offer to JT Shrout after pushing Penix out of the class. Shrout transferred to Colorado ahead of the 2021 season and Arkansas State for 2023.

After Pruitt pulled the offer, Penix visited Indiana and Florida State. He signed with Indiana, where Kalen DeBoer was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2019 season. DeBoer is now Penix’s head coach at Washington, where the QB transferred in 2022. Penix and the Huskies face No. 1 Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday in Houston.

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.

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