penry is a native of colorado and a long-time resident of western colorado. penry graduated from grand junction high school and mesa state college, where he quarterbacked the mesa state mavericks football team and served as student body president. in 1998, penry was named the national scholar athlete of the year by the american football coaches association and the burger king corporation, an award given to peyton manning the previous year. penry graduated summa cum laude from mesa state in 1998.