Inside The Huskies

Demond Williams Jr.'s QB Coronation: Small Bite of the Apple

The freshman signal-caller was used early more than late in his third UW outing.
Dan Raley|
Demond Williams Jr. and Will Rogers were supportive of each other throughout the season.
Demond Williams Jr. and Will Rogers were supportive of each other throughout the season. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Playing his earliest yet on game day, Demond Williams Jr. trotted onto the field in the first quarter of the Apple Cup, inserted as the University of Washington quarterback for the third play of the third series against Washington State.

At the Husky 39, the freshman threw a pass to wide receiver Denzel Boston for no gain. So much for the element of surprise in a cross-state rivalry in which everyone seems to know each other's secrets and secret weapons.

What coach Jedd Fisch should have done was put Williams in the game for the Huskies' final offensive snap with just over a minute remaining against WSU at Lumen Field in downtown Seattle. This rivalry outing might have had a very different ending.

Instead Fisch stuck with his play call, which had starting quarterback Will Rogers go for the win by running around the right side on a fourth-and-1 option play at the Cougars 1 and pitching the ball to trailing running back Jonah Coleman -- only to have WSU stuff the play for a 2-yard loss and hold on for a 24-19 upset win.

All the elusive Williams could do was watch helplessly from the sideline as his talents went unused in an otherwise perfect situation for him.

Demond Williams Jr. uses rubber balls to get his hands ready for game time.
Demond Williams Jr. uses rubber balls to get his hands ready for game time. | Skylar Lin Visuals

With all of the growing interest currently surrounding Williams following his two late-season starts and a sensational Sun Bowl performance, we're taking a look back at each of his 13 freshman appearances and what happened. This is the third installment.

Williams would have one of his least productive outings in the Apple Cup, completing 3 of 4 passes for just 12 yards and rushing 3 times for 22 yards. One series and three stray plays. Timing was everything and it was a little off for the Huskies on this day

This game went against the grain for Williams not only because he played early on but also because he sat out all of the second half except for one late and hopeful play.

At least the UW's early intentions were encouraging on that final offensive drive of the Apple Cup. Williams went in for Rogers on the second snap at the WSU 24 and he zipped around the left side for a 5-yard gain, getting pushed out of bounds.

If only the Huskies had called that same play for Williams with everything on the line at the goal line, there's no telling how the game would have turned out.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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