Sacks, mistakes from Demond Williams doom Huskies in ugly loss to USC

Despite a strong game from running back Brian Bonner Jr., Washington’s offense was flat-out bad against the USC Trojans. Injuries have taken a toll, penalties have run rampant, and the offensive line continues to struggle, but a significant portion of the blame for Saturday's 25-21 loss has to be laid upon starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr.

Demond Williams’ offense struggles during UW’s loss to USC

Williams was sacked five times on Saturday evening, often as a result of improper pocket awareness. One such instance, when he hesitated to target an open Kade Eldridge from the midst of a collapsing pocket, resulted in a USC strip-sack which sophomore edge rusher Jakheem Stewart returned 48 yards for a decisive third Trojans touchdown.

When Williams wasn’t being sacked, he was also struggling with accuracy. He was directly responsible for three punts which resulted from third-down overthrows, and he began UW’s final drive having completed just nine of 18 pass attempts for 128 passing yards and a touchdown which competent defenders would never have allowed.

Despite beginning the drive without a third down conversion, Williams was able to bring the Huskies within striking distance of a game-winning touchdown. He completed 6/8 pass attempts for 75 yards, most of which came on an unbelievable 43-yard deep ball to wideout Chris Lawson:

That play, which saw Williams step up in the pocket to evade contact and find a receiver deep downfield, showcased the kind of rare playmaking ability which Husky fans have previously seen from their third-year quarterback. However, just a few plays later, those same fans saw more of the same issues which have been haunting them through five weeks of 2026 football.

On 3rd-and-4 at USC’s 12-yard line with 45 seconds remaining, Williams was pressured from the left side by an unblocked USC edge rusher, and instead of getting rid of the ball, Williams stepped up into a tight pocket and took a crucial sack. 

Then, on an ensuing 4th-and-10 with the game on the line, Williams stood unpressured in the pocket. But surrounded by Washington’s massive offensive line, the diminutive passer was apparently unable to see an open Rashid Williams crossing over the middle and towards the goal line. Instead, he floated a pass towards the back right corner of the endzone, where 5-foot-11 receiver Dezmen Roebuck was blanketed in hopelessly tight double coverage.

Williams finished with 15 completions on 26 attempts, resulting in a final completion percentage of 57.7% which is the second worst single-game mark of his career (behind 50% vs Oregon in 2025). As a result, Washington’s offense went just 1/12 on third downs, recorded only two gains of 20+ yards, and relied on trick plays for two of the team’s three scores.

“We just weren’t able to get in a rhythm,” head coach and offensive playcaller Jedd Fisch said postgame. “Third down conversions [are] a problem.”

There’s no denying that better offensive line play and a stronger running game would improve Washington’s odds on third down. However, there’s also no denying that Williams is struggling. He’s not capitalizing on open pockets, and when pressured, he’s scrambling himself into losses of yardage which he could avoid by getting the ball out sooner. 

With the Huskies now in an 0-2 tailspin to begin conference play, Fisch and Williams are under growing pressure to get their offense rolling. However, their next opportunity to do so comes against a historically ironclad Iowa Hawkeyes defense. The pressure may be only beginning to rise.

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