"I don't feel like I'm playing good enough right now," Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. said of his performance through the first five games of the season.
Coming off a performance against the USC Trojans where he completed just 57.7 percent of his passes for 198 yards and a touchdown, while he also lost a fumble in a key spot in the third quarter, which was picked up by defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and taken 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
Williams has turned the ball over three times in Big Ten play, which have resulted in 13 points for the opposition. As the Huskies sit at 0-2 in Big Ten play, losing to Minnesota and USC by seven combined points, Jedd Fisch has tried to simplify things for his quarterback.
"Really
just focusing on playing clean football, continuing to trust the system," Williams said on Tuesday about what the message from his head coach has been on a short week.
"Understanding that if I just do what I've got to do and not work outside of the framework of the play, then everything will take care of itself. We have a really good team, and we've just got to keep going at it every single week."
While Williams has proven that he thrives off-script, thanks to his high-end athleticism, the third-year quarterback has also taken 12 sacks in Big Ten play, several of which have been due to him trying to extend plays when he doesn't have to or escaping pockets that aren't breaking down. The Huskies have seen breakout performances from wide receivers Rashid Williams and Chris Lawson, along with tight end Baron Naone, proving that Williams has plenty of playmakers around him who are capable of making plays.
Against a stout Iowa defense on Friday, he should have an opportunity to create some big plays through the air if he's able to play in rhythm.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Jedd Fisch trying to keep things simple for Demond Williams Jr.
