Demond Williams Jr.'s QB Coronation: The UCLA Handoff

Let the record show that in the year 2024, the University of Washington starting quarterback job changed hands in the middle of the third quarter against UCLA on a cold but competitive night at Husky Stadium.

With the temperature hovering around 44 degrees, Will Rogers threw an interception -- his second in four passes -- to Bruins linebacker Kain Medrano and his college football career ended right then and there.

The UW still led 14-13 at the time, but Rogers, after 51 starts at two schools, 14,773 yards passing and 108 touchdown throws, would never take another Husky snap, giving way to freshman Demond Williams Jr. for the rest of the game, the season and possibly years to come.

It was that abrupt, impersonal, final.

"You could feel it, you could feel it in his heart," UW Jedd Fisch said of Rogers. "That he knew when he came off the field probably that we were going to go to Demond."

Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) takes off and runs against UCLA. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

With all of the growing interest currently surrounding Williams following 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 11th installment. This is when everything changed for good for him.

Well before the pair of Rogers' interceptions, everyone could sense that something different was coming at the Husky quarterback position. Williams had replaced Rogers the week before for the entire second half of a lost game at Penn State and made some things happen. And Rogers' performance had fallen off noticeably during this challenging UW rebuild, with his pocket protection repeatedly breaking down.

For that matter, Fisch could hardly contain his eagerness in turning the offense over to his hand-picked first-year player from the Phoenix suburbs.

No one could protest this move either because Williams proceeded to guide the Huskies to three scores in as many drives to wrap up a 31-19 victory over UCLA to make his team bowl eligible and extend the UW's home winning streak to 20 games, where it currently stands.

"Things weren't going as well as I would have liked," Fisch said. "I thought it was the right time to get Demond that opportunity.

Once the change was made and the UW got the ball back on a fumble, Williams didn't waste any time in making something happen. He took the first snap, kept the ball and raced around the right side for a 16-yard gain. The drive ended with a 41-yard Grady Gross field goal good for a 17-13 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter.

After a missed UCLA field goal, Williams again pulled the trigger on an explosive first play. He delivered a short pass to Denzel Boston on the right side and the wide receiver got up field for a 32-yard gain to the UCLA 42. Williams capped this drive with a 1-yard scoring lob to freshman tight end Decker DeGraaf and the Huskies led 24-13 with 5:44 left in the game.

On the next series, he Bruins turned the ball over on downs deep in their territory at the 23 and the UW and Williams made them pay. The young quarterback basically handed off to Jonah Coleman until the latter reached the end zone on a 2-yard run for a 31-13 advantage with 1:54 remaining to play.

When it was over, Williams had completed 7 of 8 passes for 62 yards and the score to DeGraaf, and rushed six times for 31 yards.

Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. carries the ball against UCLA after taking over in the second half. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"I'm really proud of Demond coming in and leading us to 17 points," Fisch said.

Williams wasn't coming out either, though his coach wouldn't commit to a QB starter for the season-ending Oregon game when asked.

"We'll let them prepare for two quarterbacks," he said teasingly yet firmly.

Ah, but everyone could tell that this was Demond Williams Jr.'s team now.

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