Ready For More – Penix Jr. And The ‘Need To Be Great’

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Michael Penix Jr. arches spirals against a pale blue August sky.

This, for those who bleed Cream & Crimson football, is awesome.

Indiana's practice fields are alive with fall camp action, and the redshirt junior quarterback is an active participant. He hands off, avoids token pressure (yes, there is a Don't-Hit-Mike mandate) and connects with receivers (a diving sideline catch by grad transfer D.J. Matthews Jr. is a thing of beauty) in a display of what is to come in this most anticipated of seasons.

These are very awesome.

"He's right where I expected him to be coming into fall camp," head coach Tom Allen says. "I'm expecting him to be our starter on September 4th."

Previous injuries are, the Hoosiers hope, forever in Penix's rear-view mirror, so that he can fully unleash the potential that makes him one of college football's most dynamic players.

"I feel good about where he is mentally and physically," Allen says. "I know it's been a long haul for him. He's once again responded and stepped up to the challenge."
Penix didn't make watch lists for the Manning Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Maxwell Award, and the Davey O'Brien Award by accident.

He is 10-2 as a starter, and ranks second in IU history in completion percentage at 61.6.

When a knee injury against Maryland ended his season last Nov. 28, he was leading the Big Ten in passing yards per game (312.2) and passing touchdowns (14). He had four passing plays of at least 60 yards, 11 of at least 30.

Such big-play potential is among the reasons why Allen calls him the best quarterback in the country.

The brace Penix wears over his right knee is the only sign he is coming off a season-ending torn ACL, which followed a season-ending clavicle injury, which followed another season-ending torn ACL.

Bulking up to 218 pounds should help avoid injuries. So should an improved offensive line and creative play calling designed to limit -- but not eliminate – big hits from big defenders.

In practice, Penix, and all the quarterbacks, wear the blue jerseys that signify no contact.

"He'll be fully practicing, doing everything with us," Allen says. "Nobody is going to be hitting him, as is the case with all our quarterbacks, but probably with a heightened sense. You get guys that trip or fall or whatever in different drills. You want to eliminate all that threat, but continue to develop."
Or, as offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan puts it, "We're not going to tackle him. Mike is not going to get touched, so if we're doing a team drill that could potentially put him in harm's way, we'll be mindful of that."

There will come a time, of course, when hitting is necessary. For Penix, that almost certainly won't come until the Aug. 4 season opener at Iowa, a program known for rugged defense.

All the rehabilitation is done with that goal in mind.

"As you go through this process," Allen says, "and we have other guys that are coming back from season-ending injuries, too, you're just constantly progressing them through their rehab.

"It's about strengthening the muscles in that area. It's about the change of direction. Any time it's a lower-leg injury, lower-body injury, you're talking about can they accelerate, can they slow down, can they move the way they need to move? You have a progression you're looking for.

"We feel really good about where (Penix) is. Does he need to continue to progress? Yes. It's a process to be able to go through and say, 'Okay, this is the goal date, September 4th, to get him to be 100 percent for that date.'

"As we move through fall camp, we have a good plan for that."

What Penix couldn't do on the field as he recovered from surgery, he made up for in the film room -- on his own and with Sheridan.

"Mentally, I am trying to make sure I stay sharp in my film study," Penix says. "In this offseason, I couldn't do as much as I wanted to with the injury, so taking as many mental reps as possible (was big for me).

"Also, watching and encouraging the guys whenever I wasn't in on a rep. Making sure that everyone stayed sound and that we stayed together so that everything flows smoothly.

"Even though I might not have been on the field in the rep, I still took that rep (with them mentally). If I saw something that I liked or that I didn't like, I made sure that I talked to the guys, so we could correct it. I know that is what it's going to take to win the Big Ten this year."

Yes, he says "win the Big Ten," Ohio State dominance be darned.

The Hoosiers were a final touchdown-drive away from upsetting the Buckeyes last season, and project to be better this year with 17 returning starters and multiple difference-making transfers and incoming freshmen.

Two of those transfers are Matthews (who came from Florida State) and fellow receiver Camron Buckley (Texas A&M). Penix has spent plenty of time with them.

"(Building a relationship) is critical with new guys coming in," he says. "As the starting quarterback, I made sure that I got as much time as I could with them.

"We spent a lot of time this offseason making sure we got our chemistry together. I feel like it is very good and that we have a good connection.

"They bring a lot to the team and are going to be guys that are on the field and can make big plays on big stages. That is definitely what we are looking forward to."

Penix's participation in the Manning Academy earlier this summer (earning a "nice throw" compliment from Peyton Manning after -- yes -- a nice throw) provided invaluable experience. He met with Manning, plus Manning's brother Eli and father Archie.

"It was a great experience. Just seeing them put in the work reminded me of where I came from. One thing I took away was how organized and detailed they were.

"As quarterbacks, that is one of the main things you should have, being organized and detailed. Seeing how they managed that, in the meetings and how they were talking, I was soaking it all up. There was a lot going on, but it really went smoothly."

This is Penix's team, and the win-it-all goal is clear.

"What we want to prove is that last year wasn't a fluke, that we're a team that can compete with anybody," Penix says. "We have a lot of guys who didn't see the field a lot last year and who will make big plays for us this year. We know what we're capable of.

"We need to be great."

Indiana University Athletics

Ready For More – Penix Jr. And The ‘Need To Be Great’

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