UW’s Michael Penix Jr. finishes second in Heisman Trophy voting behind LSU’s Jayden Daniels

NEW YORK – Michael Penix Jr. brought his brothers.

At 6:47 p.m. on Saturday, Washington’s incomparable quarterback walked into Lincoln Center wearing a purple suede suit …

And an unsurprising secret.

Specifically, his jacket contained multitudes – and more than 90 names. Its interior lining listed each of Penix’s UW coaches and teammates, a roster (and symbolic statement) in bold black type.

Prior to Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, the senior quarterback said: “I wanted (the suit) to be something that was special to me, and to be able to highlight others as well. So I was able to have teammates and coaches’ names on the inside of it, just to highlight those guys. Because without them I wouldn’t be here.”

For two years, the Huskies have (usually) won and (rarely) lost together.

Saturday was nothing new.

But unlike their past 20 games, Washington didn’t win. Penix (1,701 total points, 292 first place votes) finished second in the Heisman voting, behind LSU senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (2,029 points, 503 first place votes). Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (885 points, 51 first place votes and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (352 points, 20 first place votes) sat third and fourth, respectively.

The trophy is annually awarded to “the outstanding college football player in the United States whose performance epitomizes great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work.”

A 6-foot-3, 213-pound senior, Penix has completed 65.9% of his passes and thrown for 4,218 yards with 33 passing touchdowns (plus three rushing scores) and nine interceptions. He became the first Husky to surpass 4,000 passing yards in back-to-back seasons, and has led the nation in passing yards per game in both 2022 and 2023 .

On Friday, Penix – who spent his first four seasons at Indiana before transferring to UW in 2022 – was named this season’s recipient of the Maxwell Award, presented annually to the best player in college football.

His statistics say plenty, although not as much as the suit.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” UW coach Kalen DeBoer said Saturday, standing outside the New York City theater. “When it comes to details and the team being first and foremost … we say it all the time, but it’s truly who he is. To have the team with him in some form or fashion, that’s what it’s all about. I know the guys are back at the facility, having a watch party, rooting him on. They’re excited about tonight.”

On Jan. 1, Penix will lead the Huskies (13-0) against Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl, with a national title berth on the line.

The competition for college football’s most coveted trophy was immense. Daniels – LSU’s 6-4, 210-pound senior – took home the Davey O’Brien Award (recognizing the nation’s premier quarterback) on Friday night. A former standout at Arizona State, Daniels completed 72.2% of his passes and threw for 3,812 yards with 40 passing touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 games this fall. The San Bernardino, California, product added a remarkable 1,134 rushing yards, 8.4 yards per carry and 10 rushing touchdowns.

Like Daniels, Nix was a dual threat for the Ducks. The 6-2, 217-pound signal caller completed 77.2% of his passes (tops in the nation) and compiled 4,145 passing yards with 40 passing touchdowns, three interceptions and six rushing scores.

Harrison – a 6-4, 205-pound junior – amassed 67 catches for 1,211 receiving yards, 18.1 yards per reception, 14 receiving touchdowns and a rushing score. On Friday, he received the Davey O’Brien Award – which honors college football’s top pass-catcher, regardless of position – besting LSU’s Malik Nabers and UW’s Rome Odunze.

But unlike his competition, Penix – the first Heisman finalist from Tampa, Fla. – can tout collective perfection. On Jan. 1, he’ll lead the 13-0 Pac-12 champion Huskies against No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl, with a national championship berth at stake.

How much should winning influence an individual award?

“He put in the work to be here. He earned it. So whatever happens, happens,” Penix’s father, Michael Penix Sr., told The Times Friday. “It’s out of his control. He did everything he can to be in this position. And he’s a team player, so to him it’s really all about team and winning. I think that’s one of the biggest stats you can have: winning. We all play the game to win. I’ve never seen anybody play the game to lose. When you’re a great player, you make everybody around you great, too.”

Penix can certainly provide the proof, as he inherited a 4-8 program and went 24-2 in the next two years, a touchdown tornado.

Of course, the names inside his suit had plenty to do with that.

But the persevering Penix elevated everyone.

“It’s been huge. We’ve been able to build around him,” DeBoer said of the importance of Penix’s presence in building his program. “[His transfer] generated a lot of excitement – a buzz within the team, a buzz around the team. It gave us a lot of confidence, just knowing we had the best quarterback in the country, in our minds. We knew we could do anything as far as coming from behind, jumping all over teams. When you’ve got that trigger man, a guy that can do it like Michael, anything is possible.”

Penix is one of just two Husky Heisman finalists, joining defensive lineman Steve Emtman – who finished fourth in 1991. Emtman, of course, went on to win Washington’s most recent national championship that winter.

Penix and his brothers, perhaps, will do the same.