How Quarterback Demond Williams Jr.’s Unexpected Transformation Is Poised to Ignite Washington’s Season

There’s buzz in the Seattle air, and it’s not just the razor-thin margin between spring practices and kickoff. Washington’s football scene is coalescing around one name—Demond Williams Jr.—and Coach Jedd Fisch’s growing confidence in him isn’t just hopeful chatter; it’s a quiet certainty. This sophomore, who boasts a crisp completion rate that would make even the cynics sit up, isn’t just the guy throwing the ball; he’s the emerging heartbeat of the Huskies’ offense. From his early days under Fisch’s tenure in Tucson to that eye-popping Sun Bowl display where he carved up Louisville’s defense, Williams has slowly but surely staked his claim—not as an understudy, but as the main act.

And yet, there’s more than just the quarterback battle brewing. The trenches are filling out with fresh muscle and promising recruits—like Carver Willis bringing seasoned grit to the line—and defensive prospects like Rahshawn Clark ready to carve their own stories. Not to mention the winds of change ushered in with new coordinators eager to shape the coming season. With 14 weeks before the first whistle blows, this is more than rebuilding; it’s a resurrection in preparation, strategy, and heart. The question isn’t who will play quarterback; it’s how high the Huskies can soar with Williams calling the shots.

LEARN MORE

Fisch will be joined by a pair of new coordinators this fall.“The difference is — I mean it’s even hard to describe because No. 1, they look better,” Fisch said. “Their size is better. They’re moving better. They’re playing at a really high level as a group.”SEATTLE (AP) — Barring injury, there’s no debating who Washington’s next quarterback will be — and it’s one coach Jedd Fisch has thought highly of for a long time.Williams spent most of last season as the backup to Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers, but flashed his potential in the Sun Bowl against Louisville by completing 26 of 32 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns. This spring, the quarterback continued to exhibit his deft passing touch, especially on short, rhythm routes.Dougherty is taking over for Brennan Carroll, while Walters is assuming the position previously held by Stephen Belichick. Both Carroll and Belichick are following their fathers to their next coaching opportunities.

“Big get for us on the offensive line,” Fisch said. “He’s certainly shown to be everything that we thought he was going to be.”

Tougher in the trenches

Fisch highlighted the addition of Carver Willis, a sixth-year offensive tackle who spent the last five seasons at Kansas State. Willis was an honorable mention All-Big 12 player in 2024.“He’s certainly evolved as a leader,” Fisch said. “You can certainly feel and see him out there. The fact that it’s his team now, he’s not sitting back. He can understand that it’s truly, truly up to him if the offense is struggling to get the offense going. Truly up to him if the offense is having success to keep the success going.”“We got 14 weeks (until the regular season starts) and we got to get really good together,” Fisch said. “I’m going to commit to seeing how good we can be as a quarterback-play-caller tandem. And then on the same token, I know he’s going to commit to see how good of a player he can be, so I’m excited about it.”Jimmie Dougherty, who was the passing game coordinator and QB coach at Washington last year, is now the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Former Purdue coach Ryan Walters, who went 5-19 across two seasons leading the Boilermakers, is the new defensive coordinator.Sophomore Demond Williams Jr., who appeared in 13 games for the Huskies as a freshman and completed over 78% of his passes, initially enrolled at Arizona when Fisch was still running the show in Tucson. As Washington wraps up spring practice with its annual scrimmage on Friday night, it has become clear to Fisch that Williams isn’t just the undisputed play-caller.

Rising Rahshawn

This time last year, Fisch had his hands full in terms of simply fielding a full roster for the spring game in his first year as Washington’s coach. At no position was that felt more than offensive line, because the Huskies had just seven offensive linemen available for the spring game last May.Last year, the Huskies’ defense was 28th in the nation in total yards against per game (328.4).Despite a shorter stature, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Williams could very well be the kind of quarterback Fisch wants to run the Huskies’ offense.

New coordinators

On Wednesday, Fisch said he anticipated 17 offensive linemen would be able to participate.Local product Rahshawn Clark, who went to Garfield High School, has stood out to Fisch ahead of his redshirt freshman season. Fisch envisions Clark, who is listed as a safety, playing a good amount of nickelback while Tacario Davis and Ephesians Prysock are the projected starting cornerbacks.“I’m proud of the way he’s playing,” Fisch said, “and I think he’s going to be a really, really good player for us.”