In a conference call Monday, Michael Penix Jr. was asked a hypothetical question:

If UW coach Kalen DeBoer told you he thought the Huskies could win a national championship next season, would that affect your NFL draft decision?

“I definitely believe that. I believe that now,” he said. “They don’t have to come to me and tell me that about next year.”

Six days later, he backed up that belief.

Penix – who leads the nation with 4,354 passing yards and 362.8 passing yards per game – announced on social media Sunday that he’ll return to Washington for his sixth and final collegiate season in 2023.

“First of all, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play this sport that I have been in love with all of my life,” Penix wrote on Instagram. “I would like to thank all of Husky Nation and the University of Washington for believing in me and supporting me and my teammates in this wonderful journey. I am so blessed for the relationships that I have built here and the amazing moments that we went through this season that will last a lifetime.

“I want to thank this coaching staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be here to play at UW in the greatest setting of college football. After long talks with family, coaches, and other trusted support, I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life for what I feel is best for my future.

“And with that being said, as I look back on this special season we had, I realized there were so many great moments and things to celebrate, but I KNOW there is so much more out there for this team and the job is still not finished! I can’t wait to be back playing in Husky Stadium for the 2023 season!”

But first, let’s look back.

Because the 6-foot-3, 213-pound Penix was in a far different situation last offseason. Each of his four seasons at Indiana ended with injury – ACL tears in 2018 and 2020, a sternoclavicular joint (connecting the clavicle to the sternum) injury in 2019, and an AC joint shoulder issue in 2021. Penix completed 59.4% of his passes and threw for 4,197 yards with 35 total touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 20 games at Indiana.

And yet, DeBoer – Penix’s offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019 – said Monday “I knew the sky was the limit. His talent was never a question. Never a question. The question everyone had was staying healthy. I know how hard it was and how many times he was hit. I saw it firsthand. I knew if we gave him some protection and he got comfortable back there it was going to be an awesome year.”

Indeed, UW has surrendered just seven sacks this season – tied for second in the nation – and Penix has proven plenty comfortable. Specifically, the Tampa product has amassed 33 total touchdowns (29 passing, four rushing) while completing 66% of his passes and setting school records for single-game passing yards (516) and completions (36, twice). He needs just 104 passing yards in the Alamo Bowl against Texas on Dec. 29 to break Cody Pickett’s single-season record (set in 2002).