Washington’s quarterback situation looks uncertain heading into Friday night.
UW coach Jedd Fisch said Monday that Demond Williams Jr. is day-to-day with what he called a “significant” rib injury, and he did not exactly sound optimistic about the dual-threat quarterback’s chances of being available against Purdue.
The Huskies are still waiting on more imaging and a treatment plan for Williams before they decide whether he can play. Even if he does get cleared, Fisch was not ready to say Williams would automatically be the starter.
“I don’t know. That would be pretty much a hypothetical at this point because I don’t envision being at that spot to have to make that decision,” Fisch said.
“If he is, then we’ll talk about it as a staff and see how healthy he is. I don’t want setbacks.
I don’t want a situation where he can barely make it back and then we start him and then we end up losing him for weeks after that. So, we’ll deal with that at the time.”
Later, Fisch was even more direct about where things stand. He said he’s “not under the impression” Williams will be available “based on where he is at physically.”
“But I don’t want to predict the medical future either,” Fisch added. “We still have four days before we have to make that decision.”
Williams left last Friday’s 41-24 loss to Iowa in the second quarter after taking a hit and did not return following X-rays.
With Williams out, Elijah Brown stepped in and gave UW a steady performance. He helped lead the Huskies on all three of their touchdown drives, finishing 28 of 39 for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
“I thought he did a great job of getting the ball out of his hands” Fisch said. “He found the primary read most, if not all, of the time. … I thought he had really good command.”
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Washingtons Quarterback Situation Just Got More Complicated Before Purdue
Washingtons quarterback picture has shifted heading into the Purdue game, with Demond Williams Jr. dealing with a rib injury that left him sidelined in recent days. He is still being evaluated, and the Huskies are trying to balance short-term preparation with the longer view of getting their starter healthy again.
Elijah Brown has taken the first-team reps in practice and is expected to get the nod against Purdue, giving Washington a new look at the most important position on the field. Jedd Fisch has stressed that the focus remains on Williams recovery, and he has not rushed to frame this as anything more permanent just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than One Ugly Loss
Washingtons 41-24 home loss to Iowa was ugly enough on its own, but the early hole made it look even worse. The Huskies were down 27-3 at halftime after an offense that never found its footing, with little on the ground and almost nothing to slow Iowa from controlling the game on both sides of the ball.
Then came the part that could matter far more than one bad Saturday. Demond Williams left late in the second quarter with an injury, and backup Elijah Brown had to take over in a game where Washington was already chasing. Brown settled things down more effectively than the offense had in the first half, but the bigger question now is whether the Huskies can move forward without their starting quarterback, and how quickly they can get back on track if they cannot. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Just Took A Painful Roster Hit Before Big Ten Play
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The latest ruling leaves Washington without two experienced options on both sides of the ball, and the timing makes it especially painful with conference games ahead. Gross had already returned to kickoff duties earlier in the season, but the overturned appeals now shut the door on any chance of either player helping on Saturdays or even practicing with the team moving forward. [Read more 🡒]