Demond Williams Jr. Runs Himself Into Gilded UW Company

On the final play of the third quarter during Saturday's University of Washington-Utah State football game, Demond Williams Jr. scrambled out of the pocket and scooted up the right sideline for 36 yards before he veered out of bounds, surrounded by defenders.

On that play, he also emerged in the company of Jake Locker and Marques Tuiasosopo, joining them as Husky quarterbacks who have rushed for 1,000 yards or more in their careers.

This moment was a rare offensive bright sport for a UW team that mostly struggled to make things happen in a 16-14 victory over Utah State.

"Coming here, that was one of my main goals -- was really to establish myself as a passer and a runner," Williams said in the postgame media session. "Super blessed, super thankful."

Through 28 Husky games, 17 of which he's started, the Chandler, Arizona, product has rushed 244 times for 1,010 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Locker's totals of 454 carries for 1,939 yards in 2006-10 are reachable. His best season was 2007, when he ran 172 times for 986 yards. He never was a big scorer, finishing with just 5 touchdown runs in his college career.

He came up with four Husky games in which he rushed for 100 yards or more, topped by 157 against Arizona in 2007.

Tuiasosopo piled up 1,495 yards on 377 carries with 21 rushing touchdowns in his UW career in 1997-2000.

He became the first NCAA player to pass for more than 300 yards and rush for 200 in a 35-30 victory over Stanford in 199, finishing with 302 and 207 yards, respectively. That would mark his only rushing output in triple digits.

Williams has just one 100-yard outing so far, picking up 136 against Rutgers at midseason in 2025.

Conversely as passers, Locker threw for 7,639 yards and Tuiasosopo for 5,879 in their UW careers, while Williams sits at 4,526 yards through the Utah State game.

Demond Williams Jr. got free for a 36-yard run and led the Huskies in rushing with 56 yards against Utah State. | Dave Sizer photo

The Husky rushing attack has been such a problem this season, with two backs going down in the opener with injuries, Williams has led his team in rushing in each of the first two games.

Against WSU in the season-opening Apple Cup, he finished with 7 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. On Saturday, he carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards against Utah State.

If the Huskies are going to make anything out of this season, Williams likely has to hand off if not throw a lot more accurately to get his team up and down the field with any lasting consistency. He can't do it alone rushing the ball, which he does very well.

For now, Williams can bask in knowing he has inserted himself among the most run-minded Husky quarterbacks to come through Montlake.

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