In addressing Demond Williams Jr. situation, Jedd Fisch focuses on retention

Fisch also detailed systemic concerns in a wide-ranging Wednesday press conference.

SEATTLE — After Demond Williams Jr. made national headlines last week for his attempted defection, Washington’s coach used a Wednesday press conference to shift focus toward retention — not just UW’s ultimate retention of its star quarterback, but of what Jedd Fisch says is 61 total players from the 2025 roster, which he described as “a huge number, and a big deal for us and for our program.”

Six days after Williams ended his 48-hour saga by announcing he will stay at UW, Fisch also tried to use the story as an entry point toward a big-picture discussion, with a focus on the turbulent nature of roster management and lacking clarity around rules and enforcement.

Reading first from a prepared statement before answering questions, Fisch spoke of a Washington program that he believes is “trending in the right direction” despite last week’s drama. He reiterated that the quarterback did not intend to distract from the celebration of life for women’s soccer player Mia Hamant, and said Williams will speak with the women’s soccer team this week.

More generally, Fisch defended Williams as “19 years old,” and described his portal foray as “a pause” and “a regroup.”

“The pressures that players are under right now to make very fast decisions sometimes can lead to setbacks,” Fisch said.

Here’s what else to know about Fisch’s 34-minute meeting with reporters, from his outlook on the sport’s landscape to Washington’s portal strategy, and his hope for what the Williams situation will mean for college football as a whole.