On first and 20 yard, late in the 3rd quarter Washington quarterback saw Rome Odunze coming open behind the Arizona defensive backfield inside the Wildcat 10 yard line and let the “hucked” the ball from the Washington 47 yard line to Odunze at the Arizona 2, who turned to his right and stepped into the end zone. The 48-yard touchdown pass capped off a 6-play 75-yard drive.
On the historic afternoon Odunze was Penix’s top target connecting 9 times for 169 of his 516 record-setting passing yards. It was an impressive outing for the dynamic duo, but Penix also hit 8 other receivers twenty-five times for 347–seven yards over his season average. Take out his 82-percent completion percentage to Odunze, going 9 for 11 and his completion percentage to other pass catchers remained at a season-high of 82-percent.
Last season, in 9 games, Odunze had 41 receptions for 415 yards and 4 touchdowns. Already this season the Bishop Gorman pass catcher has zoomed his 2021 season total like an Arizona defensive back. And he’s blown past those totals (with the exception of receptions) in 4 conference games. In the first 4 conference games this season he and Penix have connected for 561 yards and 5 touchdowns on just 34 catches. That’s 140 yards per game against conference opponents.
Likewise, Jalen McMillan is putting up career numbers, also with fewer receptions. In 7 games JMac, as he’s known on social media, in 4 less games has 60 more yards and 2 more TDs than in 2021. His 530 receiving yards and 5 receiving TDs are second on the team behind Odunze. McMillan went over 100 yards in the season’s second game, the one game that Odunze didn’t have a catch.
When given time in the pocket, and he has most of the season, Penix has picked apart opponents, finding running backs, tight ends, and receivers. Against Arizona he connected with Odunze, McMillan, Ja’Lynn Polk and Taj Davis 23 times. The rest of his 13 completions were split between running backs (7 times) and tight ends 6 completions).
Against Arizona, 6 of 9 completions to Odunze went for either a first down or a touchdown. To McMillan the first downs/touchdowns were 3 for 6. Interestingly though, with Polk’s big first half of 4 receptions for 95 yards, the 9 times he was targeted throughout the game just two didn’t produce positive yards as there were three penalties on those pass attempts. For the game Polk had the highest per completion average of 23.8 yards a grab.
Due to the explosive nature of the Penix-led offense, the Huskies produced 31 first downs but faced 3rd down just 10 times. In all, Penix has helped the Huskies to nearly double the offensive output of a year ago going from 21.5 points a game to 42.1 PPG. Washington play-by-play announcer pointed out that
Sure, there are better defenses on the way, like Cal next Saturday in Berkley, California, and the following game a surprising Oregon State Beavers who have held WSU to 10 and USC to 17 points this season.
When debuted the hashtag #NoLimits earlier this year it stood in contrast to Washington’s offense of 2021 that all they seemed to know was limits.
After the game Polk said that the team saw a day like that coming.
“Through the process of spring ball, summer workouts–everything leading up to this moment,” he said. “We’re still reaching, we’re still climbing. We haven’t played our best game yet. It’s on the way.”
Do tell.
