Kalen DeBoer: Washington just couldn't 'get over the hump'

In the end, Michigan beat Washington by three touchdowns. However, Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer knows that Washington had its chances in the national championship. The Huskies just couldn’t get over the hump in the game.

For a large portion of the game, it was only a one-score deficit that Washington trailed Michigan. Another get it. score would have put pressure on the Wolverines, but the Huskies couldn’t get it.

“Yeah, I think even just a two-score game, it has happened a couple times over the last two seasons,” Kalen DeBoer said. “And I keep telling the game’s going to come back to them, and putting one more score on the board is always going to put pressure on the team because they know what we’re capable of.”

Perhaps the most notable missed opportunity came on a fourth down in the first half when Michael Penix Jr. missed Rome Odunze on a deep shot that likely would have resulted in a touchdown. Other times, big plays were wiped off the board due to penalties or penalties stunted Washington’s momentum.

“Again, we just couldn’t make that one play here and there. And when we did, you know, a penalty, maybe bringing the play back, a holding call, things like that. We just couldn’t get over the hump. We couldn’t finish the drive the way that we’re used to.”

Kalen DeBoer credited Michigan for keeping Washington out of its rhythm. That was largely on the back of the pressure the Wolverines put on the Huskies forcing them into mistakes.

“That’s a credit to Michigan. There’s a piece where I agree with Michael, we had some self-inflicted wounds that we did to ourselves. Just some penalties, some plays that we are usually going to be making, and we just didn’t quite make them,” DeBoer said.

“And it’s not like anyone’s not trying. They’re giving everything they had. I could see it. And I could tell in the locker room that they left it all out there just by the pain that they’re going through. And that’s, again, there’s a piece that where Michigan did some things as well. Obviously a very good football team.”

Michael Penix Jr. emotionally leaves field with apparent limp after title game

The title game was the last college game for Michael Penix Jr. He certainly left everything on the field, even in a frustrating loss.

As Penix left the field, he was clearly emotional and had a notable limp. That came after he was seen in pain throughout the second half. He, apparently, was trying to play the game through some kind of injury.

Michael Penix Jr. walking off the fied #PenixJr pic.twitter.com/lMo4iuaSIo

— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) January 9, 2024

Before transferring to Washington, Penix had his season ended four different times due to injury at Indiana. Being where he was and having that opportunity was a massive deal. Hopefully, whatever was causing his limp wasn’t a major issue.

Regardless, now Penix will turn his attention to preparing for the NFL Draft.