Demond Williams Jr.'s QB Coronation: The Husky Debut
Fourteen seconds remained in the third quarter of the season opener against Weber State, long enough to run one more play before taking a break, when everyone got their first look at Demond Williams.
Making his debut, the 5-foot-11, 187-pound freshman quarterback for the University of Washington faked a handoff, kept the ball and skirted around the right side for a 9-yard gain that ended with him getting shoved out of bounds.
Welcome to college football, kid.
It seemed only appropriate that this intriguing player who's been billed as the face of Husky football entering 2025 and name-dropped by coach Jedd Fisch as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate and a first-round draft pick before his career is done would have the opposition seriously backpedaling from the outset.
Williams not only came up with a big gainer on that initial snap, he smartly guided his team 74 yards in seven plays for a touchdown, on a 6-yard pass to a diving Denzel Boston, to get his time as a Husky football player started in a glorious manner in a 35-3 victory.
"It worked out well," Fisch said. "It was good to get him a drive. It was great to get him a touchdown pass."
With all of the growing interest currently surrounding Williams following his two late-season starts and a sensational Sun Bowl performance, we're taking a look back at each of his 13 freshman appearances and what happened. This is the first installment.
Williams, who would draw one more series that would go 3-and-out in the 35-3 victory over the Big Sky team, finished with opening-game totals of 3 for 5 passing for 28 yards and that Boston TD catch, and three rushes for 17 yards. He drew 10 opening-night snaps.
Fans were rightly encouraged by this teenager from Arizona and the Phoenix suburbs that most of them had only heard about.
The only thing that was surprising at all was that Fisch waited until the end of the third quarter to unveil a quarterback the coach clearly was excited about.
Otherwise, the youngster had been on nothing but a Husky football fast track. During spring practice, Williams immediately leapfrogged fellow freshman quarterback Demaricus Davis, a 6-foot-5, 187-pound prospect, in the rotation and there were ramifications.
Nobody would admit as much, but the touted Davis transferred out before spring ball ended and turned to UCLA, likely because he felt like a future second wheel and maybe even a little threatened by the speedy little guy.
It was a small thing, but Fisch also made his young quarterback available for a media briefing after practice, usually unheard for a freshman, who typically is shielded from such interrogations early in a career.
The only real pressing question that emerged regarding Williams was how much would he be utilized during the season? Would there be a two-quarterback job share with senior Will Rogers?
"How could you ask me that?," Fisch responded with mock indignation following a fall-camp scrimmage before adding with a smile, "Good question."
Yes, it was.
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