Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was named one of 10 Big Ten football preseason honorees before the start of Big Ten Media Days Thursday.
The league no longer does an official preseason all-conference team and has issued a much smaller group of honorees for most of the last decade. Penix was one of five players honored in the Big Ten East without regard to position. There were five more named in the west.
Penix was a second-team All-Big Ten pick at the end of last season and is working his way back from an ACL tear suffered in November. He threw for 1,645 yards and 14 touchdowns in six games last season. He has also been named to the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award watch lists.
The full release from IU follows.
PENIX RECEIVES B1G PRESEASON HONORS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. received Big Ten football preseason honors, the league announced on Thursday morning in conjunction with the start of B1G Media Days in Indianapolis. A media panel selected the 10-member list, with five representatives each from the East and West Divisions.
Penix, who was named to the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award Watch Lists earlier this week, was a 2020 team captain, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree (coaches, media), and IU’s Anthony Thompson Most Valuable Player alongside linebacker Micah McFadden.
The Tampa native completed 124-of-220 (56.4 percent) for 1,645 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he rushed for a pair of TDs. He averaged a Big Ten-leading 274.2 yards per game (18th nationally) and recorded a 136.54 pass-efficiency rating.
Penix started all six games in which he appeared before he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Maryland win (Nov. 28). Entering the Terrapins game, he led the league in passing yardage, passing yardage per game (312.2, 9th nationally), passing scores, completions, attempts, 60-yard passing plays (4, T-2nd), 50-yarders (6, T-7th), 40-yarders (tied 6, T-33rd), and 30-yarders (11, T-39th).
The southpaw owns a 10-2 record as a starter and is 255-of-414 (61.6, 2nd in program history) for 3,258 yards with 25 touchdowns, eight INTs, and a 143.8 pass-efficiency rating in 15 games. He has 189 yards on the ground on 47 attempts (4.0 average) with four TDs.
The full list of Big Ten football preseason honorees is as follows:
EAST DIVISION
Michael Penix Jr., QB, IND
Thayer Munford, LT, OSU
Chris Olave, WR, OSU
Garrett Wilson, WR, OSU
Jahan Dotson, WR, PSU
WEST DIVISION
Tyler Linderbaum, C, IOWA
Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, MINN
Brandon Joseph, S, NU
David Bell, WR, PUR
Jack Sanborn, LB, WIS
Indiana Football 2021 Preseason Watch Lists
Dodd Trophy – Tom Allen
Maxwell Award – Ty Fryfogle, Michael Penix Jr.
Bednarik Award – Micah McFadden, Tiawan Mullen
Davey O’Brien Award – Michael Penix Jr.
Doak Walker Award – Stephen Carr
B1G Preseason Honors – Michael Penix Jr.
