Kalen DeBoer went on The Pat McAfee Show Friday morning armed with a very specific gift.
ESPN’s entire college football production team is in Seattle this weekend for a top-10 showdown between Washington and Oregon. College GameDay will broadcast live from UW’s campus Saturday morning — just the third-ever trip to Seattle for the show — and that meant McAfee hosted his Friday show from UW’s campus as well.
When DeBoer joined the show, he presented McAfee — almost exclusively clad in sleeveless shirts for his show — with a cutoff hoodie that had “Penix for Heisman” across the front.
Joining us NOW @KalenDeBoer ????#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/a8r3KmoM5r
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 13, 2023
Michael Penix Jr. pushed ahead of USC’s Caleb Williams after Week 6 action to become the new betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.
UW ranks first nationally in offensive efficiency, boasting 8.8 yards per play. It is third nationally in scoring (46 a game) and has faced the fewest third downs of any team in college football. Penix has 1,999 yards and 16 touchdowns in five games as the offense has rolled through everyone.
“I think he’s just continued to grow,” DeBoer said of Penix. “The adversity that’s come his way, he’s just taken it on and understanding that I’m gonna control what I can control and that’s what I’m going to focus on. And here you are.
“I think each and every day, you can see pieces of his past and how he’s responded and continued to come out. And that includes on gameday, when things aren’t going your way as a team, him rising to the occasion, making the most of the moment, and playing in the present.”
Penix has been kept clean at UW, rendering all the injury concerns he had at Indiana prior somewhat irrelevant. No one touches the Husky quarterback. And he’s dicing coverages up because of it.
“He’s seen all the defenses you can imagine over six years,” DeBoer told McAfee. “He understands the game and he’s got the tools and skillset to go with with.”