Michael Penix Jr. raves about Penn State’s new DC at CFP National Championship media day
The College Football Playoff National Championship game kicks off Monday night from Houston’s NRG Stadium, but before then, we had media day throughout the day on Saturday.
Both head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media and players from both Michigan and Washington, respectively. When Huskies’ star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took the podium, he was asked about his path to the title game, and one man in particular stood out: Tom Allen.
The newly hired Penn State defensive coordinator and ex-Indiana Hoosiers head coach recruited Penix to Bloomington. He believed in the future Heisman runner-up after Tennessee’s new staff under Jeremy Pruitt didn’t see a future with Penix. Although Penix’s career in Indiana was riddled with several season-ending injuries, there was no love lost between Penix and his former head coach.
“He’s a great coach. He’s a coach that it’s easy to love him because of the guy he is, the person he is. I feel like he cares about his players. He cares about the person more than the player. I feel like he’s a guy that will definitely do great things at Penn State (as DC). He’s going to bring great leadership. He’s going to bring great energy, intensity each & every day. He was always the same guy every day & always had that same energy, same spark, trying to help the team be better in any way that he could. I feel like they’re definitely getting a good coach” – via @Brett_McMurphy
Now preparing to start his final collegiate game in the National Championship, Penix will get the chance to go out with a bang if he can deliver a title for the Huskies. Allen is a big reason why he is in this position. After all, he is the one who hired Kalen DeBoer, his offensive coordinator, to work with Penix in 2019.
It sure sounds like James Franklin made a homerun hire with Allen as his new defensive coordinator. Former players raving about their coaches is always a good sign, and Penix’s quote sure makes it seem that Penn State has a tremendous leader to coach its defense.
