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Indiana Football: Penix Jr. viewed as one of top three quarterbacks in Big Ten in 2020

By Adam Childs

BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 12: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Indiana Hoosiers drops back to pass during the second quarter of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 12: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Indiana Hoosiers drops back to pass during the second quarter of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
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The Indiana football team is looking to build off a strong 2019 season when they take the field in 2020. It all starts with their leader Michael Penix Jr.

Not much was expected of the Indiana Hoosiers in football last year, but freshman quarterback Michael Penix Jr. burst on to the scene and had the Hoosiers playing good football. While he got hurt and missed the end of the season, his play helped spark the Hoosiers to a couple of surprising wins and had them playing well.

Peyton Ramsey came in relief of Penix when he got hurt and also played well. Combined the two quarterbacks led the Hoosiers to eight wins and a winning record in the Big Ten. But Ramsey has decided to enter the transfer portal and that leaves Penix as the guy in charge of the Hoosiers.

According to 247sports.com the Hoosiers are in good hands. The site took a stab at ranking the returning starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten this year and they think Penix is the third best.

Justin Fields of Ohio State leads the way and he does so by a wide margin. Ranking second is Tanner Morgan from Minnesota after his breakthrough season last year for the Golden Gophers.

Right behind those two sits our very own Penix Jr. They have him ahead of Jack Coan from Wisconsin and Sean Clifford of Penn State, both of which had great seasons for their respective teams. Coan led the Badgers to the Big Ten Championship game and Clifford helped the Nittany Lions come up just short of Ohio State in the East.

That is high praise for the incoming sophomore quarterback for the Hoosiers, but Penix showed flashes of being that good of a quarterback in 2019. The big question will be is if he can stay healthy for a whole year. With Ramsey leaving the backup situation will be a huge question mark and the Hoosiers’ success will hinge on the health of Penix.

Penix, in just six games last year, threw for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns. He threw just four interceptions as he did a great job of taking care of the ball. While he didn’t rush for a lot of yards,  just 119, he was a threat with his feet and kept plays alive.

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All of this, combined with the fact of a few quarterbacks graduating, has Penix viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. If he can live up to the lofty expectations, the Hoosiers may be primed to have an even better 2020. Indiana fans should be excited for the future and with Penix Jr. leading the team it could be very bright.

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