Lost in Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.‘s 2023 Heisman Trophy campaign is the sheer excellence of the receivers he’s throwing to. Former four-star recruits Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze get much of the press, and deservedly so, while third-year transfer Ja’Lynn Polk — formerly of Texas Tech — has been as dangerous a third receiver as any in college football (Polk in fact is 17th in the nation with 94 yards per game).
“Rome, J-Mac and J.P. all were in the transfer portal or talking about transferring basically in the first week I was here,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb told ESPN. “It’s just me and Kalen. Nobody else is here yet (on the offensive staff). So, my first 10 days, all I did was watch film with those three guys and try to convince them on the reasons to stay.”
Headed into No. 7 Washington’s huge clash with fellow undefeated No. 8 Oregon on Saturday (the Huskies are three-point favorites), the Huskies’ trio of Odunze, McMillan and Polk has been dynamite. Odunze ranks No. 3 nationally in receiving yards per game with 121.6, with four touchdowns. Polk, as mentioned, is No. 17 and also has four touchdowns. McMillan has played in two fewer games because of injury but has 20 catches for 311 yards and three touchdowns. His per-game average of 103.7 yards per game would rank him in the top-10 nationally if he were a qualifier (75% of the team’s games must be played).
With apologies to LSU, Ohio State, Texas and USC, it’s the best receiving corps in college football. There is also youth in the building that gives second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer and receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard plenty of optimism for a future without Odunze, McMillan and Polk.
Here is a closer look at how the Huskies built one of the most dynamic receiver rooms in college football.
