Washington’s Demond Williams breaks silence on transfer portal decision appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
If not for a perplexing loss to Wisconsin on Nov. 8, Washington football would have ended the season in a fairly respectable state. Even with that loss and a 9-4 overall record, the Huskies inspired a fair amount of optimism entering 2026 after agreeing to a new contract with promising quarterback Demond Williams Jr. Simply put, Jedd Fisch’s squad looked like a potential Playoff dark horse for next season. Now, the program is in scramble mode.
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Williams is apparently reneging on his deal and entering the transfer portal with a do not contact tag. He issued a statement following the seemingly unethical decision, but it is unlikely to assuage fans’ anger.
“First, I want to thank everyone in the Washington program for everything they have done for me,” the sophomore posted on X, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Husky Nation. I want to give a special thank you to Coach Fisch, {offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty} and {quality control offensive coach JP Losman} for believing in me and helping me grow both on and off the field.
“I also want to thank my teammates for the memories, the hard work, and the relationships we built together. The friendships I’ve made here will last a lifetime, and I’ll always appreciate the time we shared. I also want to thank the fans and the Seattle community for the constant love and support during my time at Washington.”
Williams concluded the farewell message with words that are bound to cut deep into the disoriented and devastated fan base. “I have to do what is best for me and my future,” he continued. “After much thought and prayer, I will be entering the transfer portal. Thank You.”
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How will Washington respond to the brutal Demond Williams Jr. news?
There are multiple Playoff teams who may still need to address their quarterback situation, as well as other prominent programs that are also trying to fill a void, so the idea of Williams leaving would have been fairly easy to grasp had he announced this move a week ago. However, since he already reaffirmed his commitment to Washington football, it feels near-impossible to defend the decision.
Perhaps there is more information that could shine a light on this about-face, but at the present, the optics surrounding the situation are quite rough. And it gets worse. Washington officials suspect that another school contacted Williams after he reached a new deal with the Huskies. The university plans to pursue legal action on the grounds of tampering.
Washington cannot invest all its energy into fighting this purported betrayal, however. Jedd Fisch and company will need to search for a replacement QB. Demond Williams Jr. was 246-of-354 (69.5 percent) for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 611 yards and six TDs in 2025.
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