Fisch Won't Reveal His Hand on Using 2 Quarterbacks

The Husky coach has an interesting set of options with a passer and a runner.

Demond Williams Jr. and Will Rogers often aren't far from one another during UW practice. / Skylar Lin Visuals

For 30 football practices throughout the spring and the fall, Will Rogers and Demond Williams Jr. have never been far from each other on the field, rotating in and out as University of Washington quarterbacks, including in Saturday night's scrimmage.

The senior and the freshman. The arm and the legs. The present and the future.

It's been a pecking order so firm that a third QB with plenty of promise but none of their patience, Dermaricus Davis, transferred out before spring ball was barely half over and went home to Los Angeles and UCLA.

With the Husky season opener against Weber State just 13 days away, the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Rogers, the Mississippi State transfer now in his fifth season of college football, clearly is the No. 1 Husky signal-caller.

Rogers is smart, gets the ball out fast and won't make a lot of game-day mistakes, even if his patchwork offensive line -- currently composed of transfers from Ohio State, San Diego State and Portland State, and a pair of holdover Huskies who either have barely played or not appeared in a regulation game just yet -- doesn't hold up at times.

"It's great to see the control Will Rogers has on the offense," Fisch said, standing in a Husky locker room hallway.

However, Williams presents something totally different for a defense to think about with his elite speed and inclination to get out and run. The 5-foot-11, 187-pound rookie looks to be possibly the fastest UW quarterback ever, certainly as swift if not swifter than Warren Moon and Mark Brunell, a pair of dazzling runners, Rose Bowl MVP selections and accomplished NFL players.

"I think Demond is continuing to show how quickly he's grown up," Fisch said.

Which brings us to the final question of the night on Saturday -- just before the lightning storm took over the Seattle skyline and reminded everyone of the weather-interrupted and elongated 2019 Cal-UW game -- though Fisch momentarily grimaced when he heard it, as if a bolt had just set his hair on fire.

Could he approach this season by using Rogers and Williams regularly in tandem to keep opposing defenses honest?

"Now why would I answer that question?" Fisch said with a look as if his UW playbook had just been leaked to his 12 coming opponents.

Yet understanding what he has in his dueling quarterbacks and unable to hide his glee, the first-year Husky coach grinned and said, "But it's a good question."

Demond Williams (2), Will Rogers (7) and the departed Dermaricus Davis (9) work on their spring footwork. / Skylar Lin Visuals

While no official stat-keeping took place on Saturday, with the ball not always moving upfield in a regulation manner, Nick Lemkau from Last Word on CFB offered the following passing numbers: Rogers with 21 completions in 23 passes for 235 yards and 2 scores (we had 3 TD throws), and Williams hitting on 14 of 17 for 85 yards.

Fisch, who acknowledged he will do all of the offensive play-calling in the coming season, and his staff now have roughly nine or 10 practices, away from prying media eyes, to determine how to use their surplus of assembled quarterback talent to their best advantage.

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