Kalen DeBoer explains how fun it is to coach Michael Penix Jr.

Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer is a big fan of coaching quarterback Michael Penix Jr. It’s been fun all year en route to a 13-0 record and College Football Playoff appearance.

The Pac-12 champions take on Texas in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day and they’ll be led by the Heisman front runner. Safe to say, DeBoer wouldn’t want to go into battle with any other quarterback.

DeBoer joined former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski on Basketball and Beyond to explain.

“You would love this guy,” DeBoer told Coach K. “You would love coaching him. I mean, I know he was a hooper back in the day too and you would just love him in every way you would want to have him to coach him on your team. The personality that carried you know, just I don’t know if you saw the Heisman, he had every one of our players and coaches names stitched (in his jacket). You know, he’s just done these things throughout the year that are special and unique.”

This season, Penix Jr. finished with 4,218 yards, 33 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 65.9% completion percentage.

“He’s team first oriented, you know, surprises he’s had for the program and the guys and so he’s obviously got a lot of pressure as a quarterback with this campaign of the Heisman that he isn’t necessarily pushing, but everyone else is,” DeBoer said. “He’s got these enormous long big hands and so we played in a rain game and you know, he’s flipping it around no problem, but it’s a skill set that is special.”

At the Heisman Ceremony in New York, the Huskies quarterback took some time to elaborate on the challenges of living up to the expectations of others, which is something Penix simply said he doesn’t focus on.

“I feel like, you just can’t play for other people’s expectations. You’ve got to have something deep down inside yourself that you want to achieve, and goals that you set for yourself,” Penix explained, speaking to the media. “For me, I always say I play for God’s glory. Not for other’s expectations. People are going to expect you to do the unthinkable sometimes. But for you, you’ve just got to make sure that you’re being true to yourself, and just going out there and having fun. That’s what it’s all about.

“For me, that’s something that was big for me. Just going out there and having fun, and allowing me to go out there and perform at a high level.”