Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. highlights AP midseason All-America team loaded with experience

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Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. yells as he runs out during introductions before an NCAA college football game against Oregon, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throws against Oregon during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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FILE - Texas running back Jonathon Brooks runs for a touchdown against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas. Brooks has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson, File)

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FILE - Notre Dame’s Audric Estimé (7) carries the ball during an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Estimé has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown, File)

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FILE - Notre Dame’s Joe Alt (76) blocks in an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Alt has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Ben McKeown, File)

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FILE - Oregon State offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga follows a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Washington State, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Pullman, Wash. Fuaga has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File)

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FILE - Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe (50) plays during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. Beebe has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Colin E. Braley, File)

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FILE - Michigan offensive lineman Zak Zinter plays against UNLV in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Zinter has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

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FILE - Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson reacts after wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) made a two point conversion catch against Washington during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Seattle. Powers-Johnson has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)

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FILE - Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (19) runs the ball after a catch against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Bowers has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

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FILE - Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, right, celebrates a first down during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. Burden III has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson, File)

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FILE - Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (45) gets in the face of Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne (1) after stopping him for a short gain on a run during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in College Station, Texas. Cooper has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Sam Craft, File)

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FILE - Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) sets up for a play against Mississippi during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. McKinstry has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

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FILE - Missouri defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine (7) plays against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Abrams-Draine has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

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FILE - Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) intercepts as pass intended for Ball State wide receiver Ty Robinson (2) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Athens, Ga. Starks has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

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FILE - Auburn cornerback Jaylin Simpson (36) carries the ball after an interception during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Samford Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. Simpson has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

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FILE - Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean (3) gets set for a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. DeJean has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

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FILE - Iowa punter Tory Taylor (9) punts during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. Taylor has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

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FILE - Old Dominion linebacker Jason Henderson (42) celebrates after a tackle during an NCAA college football game on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Norfolk, Va. Henderson has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Mike Caudill, File)

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FILE - North Carolina State’s Payton Wilson (11) defends during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C. Wilson has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown, File)

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FILE - Notre Dame’s Howard Cross III (56) pressures Tennessee State’s Deveon Bryant (8) during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. Cross III has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Michael Caterina, File)

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FILE - Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton listens during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Indianapolis. Newton has been selected to The Associated Press midseason All-America team, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.(AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

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Alabama kicker Will Reichard (16) kicks an extra point against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

By RALPH D. RUSSO

💬

Washington sixth-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. highlights The Associated Press midseason All-America team, one of 19 players honored who have been in school at least five years.

Penix is among the many players in college football who have extended their careers by taking advantage of the NCAA’s decision to give an extra year of eligibility because of the disruptions of the 2020-21 pandemic year.

Penix, who transferred to Washington in 2022 after four injury-plagued seasons at Indiana, is leading the nation with 383 yards passing per game for the Huskies (6-0), who are ranked fifth in the AP Top 25.

“The production, the talent, all that, that’s one thing. The heart that he’s got. The guts he’s got and the willingness to just grind through it. Grit. There’s not enough words to describe how I feel about him,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said after Penix led the Huskies to a 36-33 victory against No. 9 Oregon last week.

Penix is one of five sixth-year players who made AP’s midseason All-America teams, which were selected by a panel of media members who vote each week in the Top 25.

North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson joined Penix on the first team, and UConn guard Christian Haynes, Missouri tackle Javon Foster and Vanderbilt punter Matthew Hayball were the sixth-year players selected to the second team.

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LSU’s Jayden Daniels is the second-team quarterback and one of 14 fifth-year players to receive midseason All-America honors.

Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe, Alabama kicker Will Reichard, UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, Notre Dame defensive tackle Howard Cross III and Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson were the fifth-year players selected to the first team.

Notre Dame and Alabama led all teams with three players selected to the first team. Joining Cross were Fighting Irish teammates tackle Joe Alt and running back Audric Estime. Edge rusher Dallas Turner and cornerback Kool-aid McKinstry from Alabama joined Reichard on the first team.

FIRST TEAM - OFFENSE

Quarterback — Michael Penix Jr., sixth-year, Washington.

Running backs — Jonathon Brooks, third-year, Texas; Audric Estime, third-year, Notre Dame.

Tackles — Joe Alt, third-year, Notre Dame; Taliese Fuaga, third-year, Oregon State.

Guards — Cooper Beebe, fifth-year, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, fourth-year, Michigan.

Center — Jackson Powers-Johnson, third-year, Oregon.

Tight end — Brock Bowers, third-year, Georgia.

Wide receivers — Malik Nabers, third-year, LSU; Luther Burden III, second-year, Missouri; Rome Odunze, fourth-year, Washington.

All-purpose player — Ashton Jeanty, second-year, Boise State.

Kicker — Will Reichard, fifth-year, Alabama.

FIRST TEAM - DEFENSE

Edge rushers — Laiatu Latu, fifth-year, UCLA; Dallas Turner, third-year, Alabama.

Interior linemen — Howard Cross III, fifth-year, Notre Dame; Jer’Zhan Netwon, fourth-year, Illinois.

Linebackers — Payton Wilson, sixth-year, North Carolina State; Jason Henderson, third-year, Old Dominion; Edgerrin Cooper, third-year, Texas A&M.

Cornerbacks — Kool-aid McKinstry, third-year, Alabama; Kris Abrams-Draine, fourth-year, Missouri.

Safeties — Malaki Starks, second-year, Georgia; Jaylin Simpson, fifth-year, Auburn.

Defensive back — Cooper DeJean, third-year, Iowa.

Punter — Tory Taylor, fourth-year, Iowa.

SECOND TEAM - OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jayden Daniels, fifth-year, LSU.

Running backs — Ray Davis, fifth-year, Kentucky; Blake Corum, fourth-year, Michigan.

Tackles — Olu Fashanu, fourth-year, Penn State; Javon Foster, sixth-year, Missouri.

Guards — Christian Haynes, sixth-year, UConn; Tanner Miller, fifth-year, Oregon State.

Center — Sedrick Van Pran, fourth-year, Georgia.

Wide receivers — Marvin Harrison, Jr, third-year, Ohio State; Troy Franklin, third-year, Oregon; Xavier Legette, fifth-year, South Carolina.

Tight end — Cade Stover, fifth-year, Ohio State.

All-purpose player — Keon Coleman, third-year, Florida State.

Kicker — Graham Nicholson, third-year, Miami (Ohio).

SECOND TEAM - DEFENSE

Edge rushers — Jonah Elliss, third-year, Utah; Mohamed Kamara, fifth-year, Colorado State.

Interior linemen — T’Vondre Sweat, fifth-year, Texas; Byron Murphy II, fourth-year, Texas.

Linebackers — Danny Stutsman, third-year, Oklahoma; Jay Higgins, fourth-year, Iowa; Power Echols, third-year, North Carolina.

Cornerbacks — Denzel Burke, third-year, Ohio State; Maxwell Hairston, third-year, Kentucky.

Safeties — Tyler Nubin, fifth-year, Minnesota; Calen Bullock, third-year, Southern California.

Defensive back — Sebastian Castro, fifth-year, Iowa.

Punter — Matthew Hayball, sixth-year, Vanderbilt.

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll