Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be playing in the Senior Bowl this weekend; his first game since the national championship game loss to the Michigan Wolverines. It'll also be his last chance to show NFL scouts what he can do before the NFL combine in April.
One of the people who helped Penix reach the highs that he did was Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer was the Huskies' coach this past season and led them to the national championship game before leaving. He is now the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, replacing the retired Nick Saban.
DeBoer is at the Senior Bowl and recently tried to reunite with Penix.
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The video shows Michael Penix, who appears to be about to take a picture with a group of fans, next to Kalen DeBoer.
DeBoer then attempts to join the picture, putting his arm around his former quarterback. However, Penix appears to reject this attempt. But an alternative look at the incident shows a different story.
According to a post on social media by someone who was there, DeBoer had already taken a photo with Penix, and the video that went viral is of the second photo, the one that DeBoer was not meant to be in.
Michael Penix Jr. and Kalen DeBoer at Washington
Both Michael Penix Jr. and Kalen DeBoer joined the Washington program in 2022 and were immediately successful. In their first season together, Penix threw 31 touchdowns as DeBoer led the Huskies to an 11-win season. This gave them a bowl game appearance against the Texas Longhorns, which they won.
In 2023, the strong performances continued. The Huskies were unbeaten Pac-12 champions, making the College Football Playoff and earning another encounter with the Texas Longhorns, which they again won due to a standout performance from Penix.
This put both men into the national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines. The Huskies lost this game, which was the last game for both at Washington.
Michael Penix Jr. then declared for the NFL draft and Kalen DeBoer replaced Nick Saban at Alabama.
