'Whatever it takes': Demond Williams Jr., Washington bounce back — and bounce Illinois

The Huskies' 42-25 victory was the most important yet of the Jedd Fisch era.

SEATTLE — It worked. Didn’t just work, actually, but helped convert third-and-18, and pleased the damp thousands who showed at Husky Stadium on Saturday, and highlighted one of six touchdown drives for Washington in what became the Huskies’ biggest win yet under coach Jedd Fisch.

Certain as Fisch is regarding so many Demond Williams Jr.-related matters, though, he can’t quite decide whether he liked the sophomore’s third-quarter lowered shoulder in the open field, never mind that it propelled Illinois defensive back Miles Scott backward and permitted Williams a 25-yard gain.

“Do I like to see that?” Fisch said after a 42-25 victory that might at least earn Washington a few top-25 votes this week. “No, but yes, but no, but yes.”

Until, finally, a verdict: “No, I don’t like to see it. We don’t want to live in those. It was quite a play. It was quite a play. But we have to continue to remind him, like, I can go for it on fourth-and-two.”

As you might imagine, Williams’ perspective is a bit simpler.