Washington OL Roger Rosengarten convinced Michael Penix Jr. should've won Heisman

As Washington gets set to play Michigan in the national title game on Monday night, Huskies offensive lineman Roger Rosengarten is still marveling at everything that has happened in the last couple years.

The Huskies quickly brought themselves back to national prominence, largely on the arm of quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

And while the Heisman Trophy might have officially gone to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels last month, Rosengarten and many of his Washington teammates recognize Penix as the guy most deserving of college football’s top award.

“Oh absolutely,” Rosengarten told On3’s Andy Staples. “You can’t convince me otherwise.”

One of the things that has made Penix so dangerous is that he’s seemingly a threat to release a bomb from anywhere on the field. He has some unconventional arm angles that make it possible for him to fit passes into some ridiculous windows.

For Roger Rosengarten and company on the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line, it’s all about letting Penix go to work.

“He does a good job getting rid of the ball, but when he holds on we do our best to strain and hold on blocks,” Rosengarten said. “We just want to give as much time for him as possible because we have a great group of receiving and tight ends around us, so if we give him as much time as possible it’s great knowing that the Heisman in my eyes can sling the ball.”

While Washington’s trust in Penix is at an all-time high right now heading into Monday night’s title game, the Huskies have known what he could do for a while.

Shortly after Penix stepped foot on campus he was turning heads.

“I think it was like spring ball. The first kind of football interaction of 2022,” Roger Rosengarten explained. “Spring ball 2022 I was like, ‘Holy cow, this guy can sling it.’ Then we get to that Kent State game last year I was like this is special. Just a snowball, build, build, and next thing you know we had a Heisman winner on our hands.”

Penix came out of the gates in his first start for Washington throwing for 345 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a lopsided win over Kent State.

Since then he’s done nothing but produce. Highlights. Big plays. Clutch moments.

Washington will be looking for all of the above on Monday night against Michigan. The Huskies will need it against one of the nation’s most stout defenses.

Everyone, though, fully expects Penix to do his thing. And Rosengarten will be catching sneak peeks up at the video boards in between plays to take in the magic. Just like watching film after games.

“Obviously I watch my block and my technique and the rest of the guys’ technique, and that’s when you kind of hit play on the ThunderCloud and let it see and just watch him work,” Roger Rosengarten said. “You see these crazy throws you’re like, ‘Wow, this is special.'”