SEATTLE — Before the Washington Huskies departed for Lincoln, Neb., on Friday, coach Jedd Fisch met with Demond Williams Jr. to gauge the quarterback's availability for their game at Nebraska.
Fisch had already decided to start third-year Stanford transfer Elijah Brown against the Cornhuskers, wanting to give Williams another week “to start getting back into a rhythm” after a fractured rib kept him out of UW’s Oct. 16 win at Purdue.
Brown’s play in six previous quarters against Iowa and Purdue made that decision fairly straightforward, especially as Williams focused on rehab.
“We weren’t in any rush,” Fisch said. “I didn’t go into the Nebraska game thinking I was going to make a quarterback change during the game.”
But Fisch still wanted to know from Williams, UW’s starting quarterback for 21 consecutive games before his injury, whether he’d be ready if the Huskies needed him.
If it were the second play of the game or the 50th play of the game, Fisch asked the third-year passer, “do you feel physically that you’re able to do it?”
Williams said yes.
“Do you feel mentally that you know the gameplan well enough?” Fisch asked.
Absolutely, Williams replied.