Three weeks into the 2024 season, Washington’s offense has established a noticeable pattern.
Every few drives, fifth-year quarterback Will Rogers heads to the sideline, making way for true freshman Demond Williams Jr. to take a few snaps.
“We’re always going to use Demond,” said coach Jedd Fisch. “He brings a skill set that we need to utilize.”
This trend persisted during Saturday’s 24-19 loss. Williams completed three of four passes for 12 yards and rushed for 22 yards on three carries, while Rogers — standing behind Fisch with his hands on his hips — watched from the bench.
Integrating Williams, a former top recruit from Basha High School in Chandler, Ariz., made sense in the early games against Weber State and Eastern Michigan. He demonstrated his potential throughout fall and spring practices as a promising future quarterback for the program.
However, Saturday’s game was different. It was the Apple Cup against Washington State, not an FCS or MAC opponent. The timing of Williams’ snaps, especially in the second quarter, seemed questionable.
Williams first entered the game on a crucial drive after Washington State kicker Dean Janikowski missed a 26-yard field goal, giving Washington possession with 4:36 left in the half.
Rogers had led the Huskies to scores on their previous three drives. He connected with sixth-year receiver Giles Jackson for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter. On the next drive, Rogers’ fumbled snap halted a potential scoring drive, resulting in a 44-yard field goal. Following that, Rogers nearly connected with senior tight end Keleki Latu in the end zone, leading to a 42-yard field goal by Gross. With Janikowski’s miss and UW deferring the coin toss, Washington had a chance to score and receive the ball again after halftime.
Rogers began the drive with a 17-yard scramble before handing the ball to junior Jonah Coleman, who advanced to Washington’s 41-yard line. Williams then replaced Rogers and handed the ball to Coleman, who gained 3 yards, and threw a screen to Coleman for just 1 yard, leading to a punt.
“We believe that having Demond on the field adds an extra element that defenses must account for,” Fisch said.
Washington State quarterback John Mateer quickly moved his team down the field, finishing with a 25-yard touchdown run with 21 seconds left in the half, giving the Cougars a lead they maintained.
Williams took the final snaps of the first half, rushing for 17 yards and completing an 11-yard pass to Jackson. He also made an impact in the second half, rushing for 5 yards on a keeper and helping the Huskies manage the clock on their final drive.
Fisch praised Williams after the game, noting that the freshman did as asked, and suggested that if a screen pass had connected or Williams had completed a short pass to Coleman, the Huskies might have scored before halftime.
Williams’ passes never exceeded 3 yards downfield. He attempted two screen passes and a 3-yard slant to Jackson, which Jackson turned into an 8-yard gain.
All this came at the cost of Rogers’ rhythm, despite him throwing for 314 yards and completing 74% of his passes.
“I just do what I’m told,” Rogers said of the quarterback rotations. “I listen to the coaches and stay positive.”
