Demond Williams Marketing Campaign Was Pure Genius

What a Heisman Trophy campaign launch. Absolute genius. Reached every audience imaginable. Hit every talking point.

If people didn't know who Demond Williams Jr. was before Tuesday night, they know him intimately now.

Every last detail about him, every last yard he's been responsible for, if not every last penny he stands to deposit in his bank account.

Williams had the attention of every last national football writer for two days when they should have been spending time sizing up the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Xe'ree Alexander and Demond Williams Jr. show off their MVP awards at the LA Bowl. | Dave Sizer photo

Every football podcaster and website publisher had an opinion about Williams, too, not to mention all of those legal analysts, men and women both, closely examining the quarterback's contract language line by line.

If the University of Washington football team felt ignored in 2025, with its meager almost non-existent weekly AP poll votes, the Huskies will get a serious second look now.

Williams made himself a college football cause celebre through the most effective manner -- through conflict and resolution.

He's a well-known Heisman candidate who will enter next season with all eyes on him, more pressure on him, more expectations than ever for him.

Denzel Boston and Demond Williams Jr. celebrate a big play against Illinois. | Dave Sizer photo

While he's this extraordinary athlete, and maybe the fastest quarterback in the college game, he still hasn't won the big one, and he'll continually be reminded of that.

Oregon, Ohio State and Michigan all got away from him and his teammates last season.

Careless interceptions, such the ones he threw in Ann Arbor, are unacceptable going forward.

As this well-publicized $4 million man, Williams will be expected to win those marquee games, though he trades Michigan and Ohio State for Penn State and Indiana on the schedule next fall.

People will point out he's not making the extra big bucks to go 9-4 again.

And with his fellow Huskies fully versed in his contractural agreement, they'll expect more out of him, too.

Williams' 48-hour disconnect was far more attention-getting than his 3-hour MVP performance in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium on national TV.

Demond Williams Jr. gets loose before a UW game. | Dave Sizer photo

People will note that if LSU was willing to pay Williams more than $4 million, as suggested, it's time for him to prove he's worth all the attention and extra cash.

In the Northwest, not the Louisiana Bayou.

Again, no billboard in Time Square could give this kid the kind of coast-to-coast visibility he possesses eight months before next season begins.

Williams for Heisman?

Just like Curt Cignetti, no one needs to Google him now.

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