As Washington comes out of the bye week and heads to Nebraska, the biggest question hanging over the Huskies isn’t hard to spot: what does Jedd Fisch do at quarterback?
It’s a strange place to be after all the buildup around Demond Williams Jr., whose return to Montlake in 2026 was supposed to be the clean reset after a messy January saga. Instead, the story has taken a far different turn. Williams first announced he was leaving UW for another school - understood to be in the SEC, with a new coach and a few million dollars more for the electric dual-threat quarterback - before the situation flipped again a few days later and his staying with the Huskies became all but certain.
That episode was supposed to fade. Sports radio assured everyone there would be no locker room fallout, and that message held from February through August. The hope, naturally, was that the best way to move past the drama would be for Williams to lead Washington to win after win and push the team beyond last year’s 9-4 finish.
Instead, with five games left and Nebraska up next in Lincoln, the debate has become unavoidable.
Elijah Brown has made his case over six quarters, and there’s a strong argument that he deserves the starting job over the version of Demond Williams fans have seen through nearly six games. Williams’ first 5 1/2 games have been defined by uneven play, with some numbers that look fine on paper but too many damaging moments in the areas that matter most: turnovers, decision-making, ball distribution, pocket jitters, and what has looked at times like seeing ghosts all over the field.
Then came the injury against Iowa, which opened the door for Brown to show he can run the offense effectively. Now Fisch has to decide who gets the nod against Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers are set for a Blackout game and Washington gets another chance to sort out its quarterback picture.
Williams’ story isn’t finished. Far from it.
With five games still on the schedule, there’s still time for him to turn this into a different kind of chapter - the sort that erases the bad taste from January and gives Husky fans a happier ending. But right now, the tale has become unsettling enough that it feels less like a comeback in progress and more like a cautionary one.
The question is whether Williams gets the opportunity to change that narrative this weekend.
Here’s everything Danny Sprinkle said after UW’s 84-80 exhibition loss to Washington State ($ Dawgman)
Mateska’s 31 Kills Power Upset At No. 6 Wisconsin (GoHuskies.com)
In Other News...
Washington Let Another Rivalry Lead Slip Away In Costly Fashion
An exhibition loss does not count in the standings, but it can still sting when it comes against a rival. Washington fell to Washington State, 84-80, in a game that offered an early look at where the Huskies are still sorting things out, especially with ball security and work on the glass. LeJuan Watts led Washington with 28 points, and Nikola Dzepina added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The bigger concern for the Huskies was how often the Cougars created extra chances, turning missed opportunities into pressure possessions that Washington could not quite clean up. For a team trying to build habits before the games start counting, that kind of edge in a rivalry setting is hard to ignore, and it leaves Washington with a few obvious areas to address before the rematch mindset comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Heads Into Nebraska With Big Questions Still Hanging
Washington used its bye week to reset, but Jedd Fisch still had plenty to sort through as the Huskies turn their attention to Nebraska. The head coach touched on a few areas that will shape the game plan, including the center spot, the health of key players and what Washington needs to account for against a Nebraska defense Fisch described as strong and disruptive.
The biggest questions remain at quarterback and in the backfield as the Huskies manage their injury picture and try to get everyone ready for the trip. Fisch also gave an update on several players working their way back, and the answers were not fully in hand yet, which leaves Washington carrying some uncertainty into a matchup that will demand clarity fast. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr. Is Giving Washington Fans Another Big What-If
Michael Penix Jr. keeps turning Sundays into a reminder of what Washington once had and what it might have become. The former Huskies star led the Atlanta Falcons past San Francisco, pushing his team to another notable win while continuing to settle in as a young NFL starter with a growing command of the offense.
For Washington fans, the tug of familiarity is obvious. Penix has now won three of his four starts this season and has put together a strong opening stretch, completing 66.7% of his passes with nine touchdowns and only one interception in five starts. Every good performance adds to the same lingering feeling in Seattle-area circles: the quarterback development story moved on without the Huskies getting to see its final chapter. [Read more 🡒]