Washington’s offseason quarterback drama had a very short fuse, and Jedd Fisch finally put a few more details on the record.
On the “Triple Option” podcast, the Huskies head coach revisited the 48-hour stretch in which Demond Williams Jr. nearly entered the transfer portal before ultimately deciding to stay in Seattle. Fisch had already been careful about how much he would say publicly, but this time he was more direct about what pushed the situation to the edge.
“What happened was, a program told him they'd pay him an extra $2 million if he goes in the portal,” Fisch said on the podcast. “And the kid's 19-years-old.
We were paying him a lot but you add an extra $2 million onto anything. ... He was like forced to put something out there.
We spent about 24-36 hours going back-and-forth and talking about 'This is the right place for you and you have a contract and contracts mean something.' In the end, he came back two days later.
We didn't change anything, we didn't give him any more money or anything like that. But what we did do is we talked to him about what a great opportunity it is to be a three-year player in the same program.
And we have a chance to do something super special.”
That episode came after a wild sequence in early July. Williams had already signed a contract to return for his third season, then posted a statement saying he intended to enter the transfer portal. Two days later, he reversed course and said he would honor his original decision to remain with the Huskies.
Fisch has said before that he and Williams stayed in contact through the entire ordeal and that he believed UW was the right fit for the quarterback. The podcast appearance added the clearest version yet of how the situation unfolded.
Williams is coming off a huge season. He led the Big Ten in total yardage with 3,676 and accounted for 31 touchdowns. Through the air, he threw for 3,065 yards and 25 scores, and he added 611 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Fisch’s comments also pointed to the bigger issue around the saga: tampering. He said another program offered Williams an extra $2 million to get him into the portal, though that admission is not likely to bring any punishment for the school involved.
For now, the relationship between Williams and the team appears intact. Both he and Fisch have said the quarterback has spoken with the program, though neither has laid out exactly when those conversations happened or what was said.
Even so, spring practice suggested the near-exit did not leave lasting damage. Williams was active and vocal, working closely with the offensive line and wide receivers, celebrating big plays and constantly communicating with teammates.
Washington opens its season in the annual Apple Cup against Washington State on Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. PT at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Most preseason rankings have the Huskies sitting in the 12th-15th range, which would put them in the mix for the 12-team College Football Playoff. If UW gets there, it would mark the third CFP berth in program history and the first under the new format.
In Other News...
Huskies Just Landed The Kind Of Recruit That Changes Everything
Washingtons recruiting momentum got a major jolt with the addition of Censere Gaylord, a highly rated four-star cornerback whose profile fits the kind of defender every staff wants but few can actually land. Gaylord brings the kind of versatility and advanced coverage ability that makes him valuable on the outside, and his commitment gives the Huskies a blue-chip piece at a position where length, speed and instincts matter as much as raw talent.
What makes this one especially noteworthy is how Washington got there. Gaylord drew attention from a long list of national powers, but the Huskies stayed in the mix because of the relationships built with their coaching staff, and that kind of trust can matter just as much as the logo on the helmet. For a program trying to keep stacking elite talent, landing a recruit of this caliber is the sort of move that can reshape the conversation around a class, even if the full impact of this one is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]