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Inside The Huskies

Debating the Merits Of The Big Ten Starting QBs

The UW's Demond Williams ranks fairly high even without a real signature victory.
Dan Raley|
Demond Williams Jr. and Dante Moore embrace after their 2025 game.
Demond Williams Jr. and Dante Moore embrace after their 2025 game. | Dave Sizer photo

In what soon will become the slowest part of the year for Big Ten football -- that time slot once June recruiting goes on hiatus to Big Ten Media Days in late July -- nothing says down time like a quarterback debate.

Someone attached us to a days-long conversation surrounding a Big Ten QB Rankings list compiled by "Love for the Game" and a couple of things jumped out at us.

No one outwardly questions Demond Williams Jr. in being slotted at No. 5, even without a true signature victory entering the coming season.

The Husky quarterback has been extra speedy, largely efficient against middle-tier teams and lower but not yet a giant killer.

Tied at 7 at halftime at Michigan last season, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound Williams had his chances to greatly elevate his reputation by engineering a win at the Big House -- something done just one before in Husky annals in 1984 -- yet he had the worst half of his career so far.

He threw three interceptions that enabled the Wolverines and their QB Bryce Underwood to slink away with a 24-7 decision.

So Williams remains the fifth best signal-caller in the Big Ten until he shows different, trailing Oregon's Dante Moore, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, USC's Jayden Maiava and Indiana's Josh Hoover.

Actually, the quarterback who was the most shamed in this offseason discussion was Underwood, who enters the coming season as a 6-foot-4, 228-pound sophomore for new coach Kyle Whittingham.

Underwood could do no better than 12th in the list-maker's estimation and people felt he got what he deserves leaning toward the bottom third of the conference.

"Good list," someone named Shawn chimed in. "Somebody finally has Bryce where he belongs."

Demond Williams Jr. walks out of Husky Stadium on game night.
Demond Williams Jr. walks out of Husky Stadium on game night. | Dave Sizer photo

A quarterback who people lobbied for was UCLA's Nico Iamaleava, who was ranked 11th but conceivably could go higher, especially with a new coach in Bob Chesney and maybe more winning ways.

"I think Nico is way too low," argued one list follower.

Another quarterback apparently with something to prove to the Big Ten literati is Indiana's Hoover, a transfer from TCU.

He comes in at No. 4, right above the UW's Williams, but some felt that was way too generous.

"He's been a turnover machine for his entire career," a fan weighed in.

For that matter, Hoover comes to Bloomington, Indiana, after throwing 33 interceptions at TCU, including 13 last season.

"He's only ranked high because he went to Indiana," someone said indignantly.

So it's the middle of the Big Ten starting quarterback pack that is up for debate, not the top or the bottom.

Wiliams, who's been 9-6 as a Husky starter, it seems should be grateful that he has the respect that he does.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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