Skip to main content
Inside The Huskies

Demond Williams Jr. Adds Another Watch List To His Total

The UW quarterback is up for the Davey O'Brien Award, as well as the Maxwell.
Dan Raley|
Demond Williams Jr. is on the Davey O'Brien watch list.
Demond Williams Jr. is on the Davey O'Brien watch list. | Dave Sizer photo

Except for that January blip, when he briefly entertained leaving Montlake for presumably LSU, Demond Williams Jr. has said all the right things.

Done all the right things.

Been a model citizen quarterback.

Now after 15 spring practices and another dozen in fall camp, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound University of Washington signal-caller has survived the self-inflicted turbulence to become a more polished player who is respected by everyone around him.

His passing touch is pinpoint.

He hasn't gotten any slower.

And now as his junior season is about to unfold, Williams is being showered with watch-list attention.

On Thursday, he became one of 30 quarterbacks named to the preseaon watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award, one of multiple accolades given to the nation's top quarterbacks, with this one based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Earlier this fall, Williams received watch-list inclusion for the Maxwell Award, another QB-centric honor.

This dual-threat player is one of six Huskies to make a preseason award watch list based on football prowess, joining tight end Decker DeGraaf, Mackey Award; center Landen Hatchett, Rimington Trophy; kicker Tyler Robles, Lou Groza Award; Hunter Green, Ray Guy Award; and linebacker Xe'ree Alexander, Butkus Award.

Should the UW enjoy significant success as a team, one or more of these players will stand a good chance of winning one or more of these awards.

In 2023, when the Huskies advanced all the way to the CFP national championship, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. became their first Maxwell winner.

Demond Williams Jr. is one of 30 players to make the O'Brien watch list.
Demond Williams Jr. is one of 30 players to make the O'Brien watch list. | Dave Sizer photo

Greatness has been predicted for Williams almost since the day he left Chandler, Arizona, and became a college player known for his exceptional speed.

He became the Husky starting quarterback for the final two games of his freshman season and he opened all 13 games as a sophomore in 2025, guiding his team to a 9-4 record.

During fall camp, Williams has been extra sharp in running the team even while the Huskies try to settle on a new starting running back and pick out a third starting wide receiver, important components to make it all work.

He appears to be a much-improved passer, continually sending the ball through tight windows in scrimmages, and his teammates have raved about him becoming a more vocal leader who commands the huddle in a more forthright manner.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
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.

Home/Football