In a shocking turn of events, sophomore Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced on Tuesday evening that he is entering the transfer portal with a do-not-contact tag. The announcement comes four days after ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Williams Jr. had agreed to a new deal, which would keep him with the Huskies through 2026.
This is a big loss for Jedd Fisch and the Huskies as he left the program high and dry after that new deal and most of the other top-notch quarterbacks have been claimed.
Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies plan to seek legal action against Demond Williams
Related: 4 outgoing Husky transfers have already found new homes via the transfer portal
Following Williams Jr.’s announcement, Thamel reported that Washington is planning to seek legal action that would force Williams Jr. to abide by his recently signed contract. The drama is just beginning and mirrors other programs around the country that are starting to seek legal action for players leaving after signing deals.
Washington sources say they are prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce Demond Williams’ signed contract. https://t.co/5VkxMUR3or
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 7, 2026
Williams Jr. started all 13 games for the Huskies in 2025 after taking over for Will Rogers midway through the 2024 season. As a sophomore, he went 246/354 through the air (69.5% completion rate) for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also added 611 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Hearing a lot of smoke from LSU for Demond Williams
— Dave “Softy” Mahler (@Softykjr) January 7, 2026
Williams Jr., who was a four-star prospect out of Chandler, AZ, has yet to receive a transfer rating from 247Sports. However, that’s unlikely to matter. The fact that Williams Jr.’s portal entry includes a do-not-contact tag means he’s likely got a guaranteed spot waiting for him. Where that is remains anyone’s guess, but high-profile programs across the country will surely be interested in Williams Jr.'s athleticism and arm talent.
Williams Jr. will have until the portal closes on Jan. 16 to make his decision. However, a potential leader may be emerging. According to Dave “Softy” Mahler of 93.3 KJR FM, Williams Jr. could be heading to Baton Rouge, Louisiana:
LSU is looking for a quarterback following Garrett Nussmeier’s graduation, but the Tigers aren’t alone. Several talented quarterbacks have already entered the portal, including Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Florida’s DJ Lagway, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, among others.