After making his first start since October 9 for the Washington Huskies against Penn State, Demond Williams Jr. is back on the injury report. The third-year quarterback was listed as questionable on Wednesday's Big Ten availability report, raising questions about his health heading into Week 11's matchup against Michigan State.
Prior to last Saturday, the junior had been working through a fractured rib that held him out of the starting role against Purdue and Nebraska.
The injury came in the first half of Week Six's 41-24 loss to Iowa, where the dual-threat quarterback had completed just six passes for 69 yards before leaving the game late in the second quarter. Backup quarterback Elijah Brown assumed starting duties for the next few weeks, including
a 38-26 win at Purdue before being replaced in the fourth quarter against Nebraska in Washington's late comeback victory.
Although head coach Jedd Fisch didn't mention anything regarding Williams' health during his Monday press conference, the assumption would be that the third-year Husky is still dealing with the nagging injury suffered against the Hawkeyes. Despite not being listed on last week's report against Penn State at any point throughout the week, it's possible that some bumps or bruises could have popped up in the early parts of this week.
In previous pressers, Fisch has mentioned some of the hurdles that come with having rib issues at the quarterback position, pointing to velocity, finesse, and durability as things that can be hindered.
Here’s today’s @UW_Football-Michigan State availability report. @Dawgman247 pic.twitter.com/87QbxNuZBP
— Chris Fetters (@Chris_Fetters) November 12, 2026
The signal caller headlines several Huskies listed as questionable ahead of the trip to East Lansing, but a number of defensive starters were also listed on the report. Safety Alex McLaughlin, defensive tackle Elinneus Davis, and a trio of edge rushers- Logan George, Devin Hyde, and Isaiah Ward were given the questionable tag as well.
If Williams cannot go on Saturday, Brown would take over under center. The former Stanford Cardinal has had some impressive moments in his two starts this season, including throwing for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win over the Boilermakers in October. On the other hand, putting the suspected starter in Williams, on the injury report, could be a sign of gamesmanship from Fisch, forcing Michigan State to at least consider game planning for two quarterbacks with drastically different skill sets.
In a game where Washington's up-and-down offense has a chance to find some momentum before finishing their season with a pair of ranked opponents, being fully healthy at the most important position on the field would be a good start.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Demond Williams Jr. Listed as Questionable Against Michigan State
