Quarterback grade: Demond Williams Jr. plays with poise in commanding win over UCLA

If there was any lingering doubt about Demond Williams Jr.’s trajectory as Washington’s long-term answer at quarterback, Saturday’s 48–14 demolition of UCLA offered one of the clearest statements yet.

The sophomore quarterback turned in one of his more low-key performances of the season, but it was still one that was complete and got the job done. Always dynamic as a runner and becoming increasingly poised as a passer, Williams was fully in command of an offense that looked more balanced and confident than it has at earlier points this season.

Williams’ night started unevenly, and it’s important to acknowledge that. He twice overshot Audric Harris on deep shots that likely would have been touchdowns, and each misfire stalled otherwise promising drives. These were passes that you'd expect every high-level quarterback to complete --
with Denzel Boston sidelined, the timing and trust with secondary receivers wasn’t always crisp.

Yet what stands out is how Williams responded. Rather than forcing throws or drifting out of structure, he leaned into what he does best -- controlling the game with his legs and distributing the ball efficiently on short and intermediate routes to maintain manageable down-and-distance situations.

His rushing impact was undeniable. Williams punched in two rushing touchdowns, including a 25-yard burst in the second quarter and an 11-yard score in the third quarter that put the Huskies up 27–0.

Still, he didn't overuse his legs as a crutch like we've seen him do in the past, as he only carried the ball six times total for 56 yards. Instead, he showed great patience to pick and choose his battles on the ground and avoid unnecessary hits, a matured progression fans have wanted to see from Williams.

Through the air, it was a similar story. Williams didn't need to throw at a high volume, but he was sharp when it mattered. He matched his rushing touchdown total with two passing touchdowns, and finished the night 17-of 26 for 213 yards.

Williams delivered an 18-yard touchdown to Dezmen Roebuck in the third quarter on a pass that was wide open, but still thrown with conviction, placement, and timing. His other passing touchdown came with the game long decided in the final minutes, when he scrambled and dumped off a short pass on the run to tight end Decker DeGraaf, who did most of the work to run in the end zone from 24 yards out.

However, Williams did throw one interception, as well. In the second quarter immediately after a UCLA punt, Williams overthrew his target right into the hands of Bruins safety Cole Martin, a high school teammate of Williams. It became Williams' sixth interception of the season, after throwing only one through the first six games.

His longest throw of the night, a 42-yard completion to Chris Lawson, was a big play on paper, but again, Williams slightly misplaced the ball which prevented a greater play. This time, the pass was underthrown, forcing Lawson to slow down to catch it instead of staying in stride and likely finding the end zone. But at the end of the day, production is production, and the Huskies blew out UCLA even with some of Williams' misses.

Washington scored a defensive touchdown in the second quarter, meaning that 41 of the team's 48 points came with Williams in control. The offense put up points on nearly every series, including four consecutive drives that ended with a touchdown. Those possessions came in the second half already holding a big lead, a great sign of being able to keep the foot on the gas.

Overall, the deep-ball misses and interception prevent this from being a perfect outing, but everything else reflected a quarterback who is maturing quickly and guiding Washington’s offense with increasing authority.

Overall quarterback grade: B+