Is there a historical UW comparison for Demond Williams Jr.'s skill set?
How often do the Huskies want him running, anyway?
My favorite thing about Say Who, Say Pod inquirer Ian McFarland — besides our shared devotion to the Marriott brand — is that every now and then, he asks a question on the podcast worthy of further exploration.
Though we discussed it at the time, Ian’s question on our April 24 episode, asking for a historical UW quarterback comparison to Demond Williams Jr. — and what kind of season he must have, relative to other single-year performances by past UW quarterbacks, to give the Huskies a chance to win eight-plus games — has been kicking around in my head ever since.
Actually, I’ve been mulling a modified version of Ian’s question. Beyond simply knowing Williams is the guy, what else should we expect from the sophomore in his first full season as a starter? And what’s our frame of reference for his playing style, considering all that we know about both Williams’ abilities and coach Jedd Fisch’s preferences?
What sets Williams apart, at least among some other Washington quarterbacks: his ceiling as a passer is high enough that his running ability is complementary.
As his high-school coach, Chris McDonald, told me last year: “He’s not an athlete playing quarterback. He’s a quarterback that just happens to be a supremely talented athlete. The kid at any time can take off and take it to the house with his legs, but don’t get it twisted — the kid’s a fantastic quarterback.”