Brown or Williams? Huskies Aren't Dealing With This Now

On Friday night in the middle of the state of Indiana, quarterback Elijah Brown led the University of Washington football team to its first victory in a month, while usual starter Demond Williams Jr. put on his uniform, but was never going to play against Purdue.

One guy had a career passing night, while the other nursed a significant rib injury.

So now what?

In the minutes and postgame discussion that immediately followed the Huskies' 38-26 victory in West Lafayette, UW coach Jedd Fisch had no intention of dealing with his quarterback situation at that moment.

Brown or Williams?

"We're going to enjoy tonight," he said while meeting with media members. "I'm going to take tomorrow off. I'm going to give everybody tomorrow off. At Sunday at noon, we're going to get back and we will evaluate everything. Because at 4-3, our goal is to be better than that."

The situation has the potential to become a Husky quarterback controversy, based on production, talent and even the financial dispersement.

The Huskies (4-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) haven't had one of these signal-caller situations since the COVID-shortened season of 2020, when Dylan Morris was named the starter over Ethan Garber, Jacob Sirmon and Kevin Thomson.

When all was said and done with those players, Garbers finished up as the starter for UCLA, Sirmon as a part-time starter at Central Michigan and Northern Colorado and Morris as a reserve for James Madison, while Thomson, a Big Sky offensive MVP for Sacramento State, became injured and never played that season or thereafter.

The year before that, Georgia transfer Jacob Eason received the Husky starting nod over Jake Haener, who immediately quit and transferred to Fresno State, with some wishing that outcome was reversed especially after Haener became a Mountain West standout and a longer NFL player.

Huskies quarterback Elijah Brown (7) warms up to face Purdue on Friday night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Williams has been the Huskies' clearcut starter since the end of the 2024 season, when Fisch replaced Will Rogers, an SEC record-holder from Mississippi State, with the then freshman for the final two outings.

Against Iowa, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Williams became the starter for the 21st consecutive game, injured his ribs shortly before halftime and left with the Huskies trailing 27-3.

In relief, Brown brought the UW within 41-24 of the Hawkeyes with 3 touchdown passes and continued his productivity with 3 more scoring throws against Purdue that overshadowed his 3 interceptions that evening.

He was so good, Brown completed 21 of 27 passes with those 3 picks, meaning only three of his throws didn't end up in someone's hands.

"I thought Elijah did a great job of leading the team and not flinching though he turned it over," Fisch said. "I thought he was an exceptionally good leader."

Which leads everyone to the next Husky game, following the upcoming bye week, at Nebraska on October 31.

Brown or Williams?

Fisch said Williams was close to returning, that he went through warm-ups. Yet the coach and his staff chose not play him because of the injured rib and the risk involved.

"We didn't feel were were going to let him take a hit," the head coach said.

Besides becoming injured, Williams simply hasn't performed well this season, becoming off target on his passes and indecisive when standing in the pocket.

His back-up hasn't been perfect, but Brown has shown he can lead the Huskies to a much-needed 12-point victory in the Midwest.

Brown or Williams?

We're not anywhere close to knowing.

Add us as a preferred source on Google