When coach Jedd Fisch’s Washington Huskies take the field for the first game of his tenure on August 31 against the Weber State Falcons, fifth-year senior Will Rogers, who came to Seattle through the transfer portal after four seasons at Mississippi State, will be Fisch’s starting quarterback.
However, that hasn’t stopped the hype from building around his backup, true freshman Demond Williams Jr., who has impressed the media and Washington’s coaching staff alike throughout spring and fall camp with his promising combination of mobility and arm strength.
247Sports’ Cooper Petagna has also taken notice of Williams’ talent, naming him among his “Freshman 15.”
If the game falls the way that it should with a Big Ten team facing off with an FCS opponent, the former four-star recruit out of Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona, should make his college debut on Saturday night. With Fisch’s propensity to play freshmen, Williams should test the limits of his redshirt in 2024, which allows him to play four games, five if the Huskies are eligible for a bowl game.
Williams could also easily push past that number if Fisch opts to deploy him in some specific packages to utilize his talents throughout the year, but he’s not tipping his hand on that front.
“The answer to that question is, maybe,” Fisch said on Monday. “We’ve got a very talented quarterback room, and it’s our responsibility to move the football any way possible…we’ll see what Demond can do and will do.”
Now 247 just needs to worry about spelling Williams’ name right in their graphics.
Week 1 is here. Freshmen to know. pic.twitter.com/TEq9Zzu9sv
— Cooper Petagna (@cpetagna247) August 29, 2024