SEATTLE (AP) — Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. seems unlikely to return this week from a rib injury he suffered during the Huskies’ loss to Iowa.
“I’m not under the impression that I think he’ll be playing this week based upon where he’s at physically,” head coach Jedd Fisch said Monday. ”But I don't want to predict the medical future; we still have four days before we’ll have to make that decision.”
Fisch officially described Williams’ status
as day to day but said that he didn’t practice Monday while Elijah Brown took all the reps with the starting offense. The Huskies are set to fly to Indiana on Thursday for their game Friday night against Purdue.
“There would have to be a pretty significant change for anything to change,” Fisch said of Williams’ likelihood to play.
Williams took a hit while diving for extra yards with two minutes to go in the first half of the 41-24 loss Friday to the Hawkeyes. As Washington's field goal team came onto the field on fourth down, Williams went into the medical tent before heading to the locker room. Brown led the Huskies the rest of the way.
In six drives before exiting, Williams completed six of 11 passes for 69 yards and was sacked four times.
It’s been an up-and-down year for the third-year starter, which began with Williams briefly entering the transfer portal in January before announcing his return to Washington two days later. Through six games in 2026, Williams’ 145.7 passer rating ranks 10th in the Big Ten.
Brown, a transfer from Stanford, saw his first extended action with the Huskies and finished his night 28 for 39 for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Washington also went six of 10 on third down with Brown behind center.
“He did a great job of getting the ball out of his hands,” Fisch said. “He found a primary read most, if not all of the time.”
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