Heisman finalist Michael Penix Jr. has Tampa Bay roots

A Tampa Bay native who's gone on to gridiron stardom on the West Coast is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, college football's highest honor.

What's happening: Michael Penix Jr., who played high school football at Tampa Bay Tech, is the region's first player to be named a finalist for the Heisman, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

• He led the nation in passing yards this season for the Washington Huskies and threw for 33 touchdowns.
• The Huskies went 13-0 and won the Pac-12 championship.

⚡ Flashback: "He was the best high school quarterback I've ever seen in my life," his high school coach, Jayson Roberts, told HoosiersNow in 2021. "I expect him to be great, be a Heisman finalist and be a first-round draft pick.''

• Penix's father, a former college running back, coached at Pasco High School when his son was growing up, so the younger Penix was raised a student of the game.
• "His very first steps as a baby, they were actually in the end zone,'' Michael Penix Sr. told HoosiersNow. "... How's that for a start?''

How he got here: Penix started his college football career at Indiana before transferring to Washington.

• In his first season with the Huskies, he led the team to an 11-2 record in 2022 and finished 8th in Heisman voting.

What's next: The Heisman winner will be announced Saturday, 8pm, on ESPN.

• Then, Penix and the No. 2 Huskies will face No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, with a berth in the National Championship on the line.