Kalen DeBoer has his QB1. Call it a reunion.

The Washington head coach officially named Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr. the team’s starting quarterback on Tuesday, telling reporters that Penix was the most consistent of the three quarterbacks competing for the job during camp.

“He’s just had a really great camp and he’s been consistent from the time spring ball started to where he’s at now,” DeBoer said, according to DawgMan’s Chris Fetters. “He’s done a great job earning it. Excited for him to get those extra reps now, build that chemistry with the group, and now can take that next level of leadership.”

The 6-foot-3 fifth-year junior spent his first four seasons at Indiana, where he and DeBoer worked in tandem when DeBoer was coordinating the Hoosier offense. Penix was a team captain for IU in 2020 and 2021. When healthy, he was the Hoosier starter. In total, he went 12-5 as the team’s starting quarterback.

The breakout season came in 2020, when Penix led the Hoosiers with 1,645 passing yards and 14 touchdowns (against four picks). That Indiana squad opened the year 4-0, dispatching top-25 opponents in Penn State and Michigan to set up a top-10 showdown with Ohio State in Columbus.

The Hoosiers nearly won that as Penix completely shredded the Buckeye secondary to the tune of 491 yards and five touchdowns. IU lost 42-35, unable to complete a remarkable comeback from down 35-7 midway through the third quarter.

“My experience is he’ll stand right in the pocket and make those throws that he needs to make when people are bearing down on him and you’ve got to get rid of the ball and you’re holding onto it one second longer while routes open up and convert,” DeBoer said, according to The Seattle Times’ Mike Vorel. “He converted today on some stuff when the pocket collapsed on him a little bit, and he’s got that arm talent.

“He can throw from different slots and with different movements. He’s been consistent. He’s taken care of the football. That’s how I know him. I know there’s been a season where he had a few more interceptions, but I know him as a guy who takes extremely good care of the football. That’s what he did for me and that’s what he’s done ever since he’s been here this spring and fall.”

Penix struggled in his final season at Indiana, throwing four touchdowns against seven interceptions in five games — the year DeBoer alluded to. He completed just 54% of his passes. But Penix has played most of his career through pain.

Season-ending ACL injuries claimed his 2018 and 2020 campaigns. In 2019, he hurt his right sternoclavicular joint (which also ended his season after six games). Last season, he dealt with an injury to the AC joint in his throwing shoulder and was limited to five games. He hasn’t played more than six yet in a season in college.

Though Dylan Morris and Sam Huard lost the competition, they could be called upon at some point down the line. DeBoer told reporters that if UW played today, Morris would be the backup, but that Huard was right behind, per Vorel.

“The thing I also really want to make sure I say is, I know Husky Nation all knows D-Mo (Morris) and Sam and have seen them play. I can tell you that these two guys are different quarterbacks than what they know,” DeBoer said, per Vorel. “Those two guys are more than ready to play.”

But, DeBoer says, Penix gives them the best chance to win.

“His arm talent (is impressive) — whether it’s the deep ball or throwing it from one side, one hash all the way to the opposite sideline, quick out routes or corner routes,” DeBoer said, per Vorel. “He can throw the ball vertical. With our play-action pass as well as our RPOs, he can read things and get rid of it quick. That allows us to open up pretty much the entire offense for him.