DADE CITY, Fla. — While there may not be a Florida school competing for the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, one team has a number of Tampa Bay area folks in its corner.
Fresh off putting on one of the greatest quarterback performances in post-season college football Monday, University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took time in his post-game interview to shout out his hometown “Dade City and Tampa, Florida.”
Penix grew up in Dade City, finishing his high school career at Tampa Technical High School before heading to the University of Indiana and then the University of Washington.
Pasco County’s Dade City is about 3,000 miles from Seattle but come Monday, you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else rooting as hard for the Huskies.
“Beyond proud [of him] is what I would tell you at this point,” Dade City Mayor Pro Tem Normita “Angel” Woodard said while wearing a Michael Penix Jr. shirt.
“To hear him acknowledge we he came from just gives us a sense of pride in knowing what Dade City had poured into a young man and he didn’t forget where he came from,” Woodard said, adding it incredible, “to see him playing at this magnitude and remaining humble.”
Penix has led Washington to an undefeated record at this point and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
“It gives us a great feel of happiness, just to know that he's from Dade City,” Lorenzo Coffie, a retired educator who calls Dade City home, said.
Across the city most known for kumquats this time of year, it’s the humble yet immensely talented quarterback who’s the talk of the town.
“I can't go anywhere around the city and not hear somebody talk about Michael Penix Jr., our Little Mike, as we used to call it when he was coming up,” Coffie added. Penix’s dad Michael Senior was also an accomplished football player and his known as Big Mike locally.
In town, watch parties are planned at places of worship and watering holes for Monday’s game.
Even the boys in blue prefer purple, here.
“He’s been tremendous,” Dade City Police Chief James Walters said.
“What a great example for him to set, to show what can be accomplished through hard work determination, doing things the right way,” Walters added.
“Little Mike, go get ‘em. We're really proud of you and thank you for being such a great representative for Dade City,” Angie Guy said.
Win or lose, the city is proud of all he’s down and Penix will rep the city again a week from Saturday, as he’s honored as the grand marshall of the city’s MLK Day Parade.
“Dade City, Tampa, Florida. Get ready, get ready, get ready. Michael Penix Jr. is coming to town and we are going to turn this town purple,” Woodard added.