Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. delivered a performance on Saturday leading the Huskies to a 21-14 victory over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.
Growing up, Williams frequently heard stories about the venue from his father, Demond Williams Sr., who played cornerback and kick returner for the Spartans during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Stepping onto the turf for the first time as a visitor, the younger Williams brought those childhood tales into a Big Ten matchup.
“Obviously it’s been a while since he’s been here, so he was telling me about his playing days, things like that,” Williams said.
“I knew all that growing up, and Michigan State didn’t offer me until super late in my recruiting, so I was looking forward to this game, for sure.”
Demond Williams Jr. led Washington to a win over Michigan State Saturday night with his father in attendance. https://t.co/2fMqFyl2SL
Journey to Washington and Bowl Eligibility
Williams initially enrolled early at Arizona before transferring when coach Jedd Fisch moved to Washington. He is in his second full season as Washington’s starting quarterback and guided his team to bowl eligibility by improving their record to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play.
Against Michigan State, which fell to 3-7 overall and 1-6 in conference play, Williams racked up 288 passing yards and two touchdowns. Early misses on explosive plays allowed the Spartans to temporarily gain the upper hand, but the offense eventually found its rhythm when Williams completed seven consecutive passes.
“I told him it was a homecoming,” Fisch said. “I think he got a little excited, those first couple throws we missed by like a fingertip.”
The turning point arrived late in the first quarter when Williams connected with receiver Chris Lawson for a 58-yard touchdown. That explosive play sparked a streak where the quarterback completed six straight passes, capping the sequence with a 17-yard touchdown strike once again to Lawson.
Demond Williams Jr. led Washington to a win over Michigan State Saturday night with his father in attendance. https://t.co/I8LXjnORhv pic.twitter.com/H9472MpZGY
“I think at that point in time he felt really comfortable and he was making really, really smart decisions with the football,” Fisch said. “When no one was there, he threw away. When he thought to scramble, he scrambled vertically, he didn’t scramble sideways.”
Attacking the Spartan Defense
Washington’s offense relied heavily on Williams’ elusiveness to counter a Michigan State pass rush that had recorded five sacks the previous week. The Spartans managed only one sack against Williams, who completed 67% of his passes—marking his third-highest completion percentage in a single game this season.
“Demond’s a great player,” Michigan State edge rusher Kenny Soares Jr. said.
“He’s one of those guys where he’s just special. He doesn’t allow certain things like, he may not be the tallest guy, he may not be the most physically-dominant, but he’s going to go out there and work as a player. I commend him for that.”
Ties to the Past
The elder Williams played during a difficult era for the program, as the Spartans went 9-14 across the 2005 and 2006 campaigns. During those two years, the team secured only one Big Ten home victory, defeating Indiana in 2005. Following Saturday’s outcome, father and son are now officially tied for Big Ten victories at Spartan Stadium over their respective careers.
Despite his father’s history in East Lansing, the Washington quarterback had no doubts regarding where family loyalties lay.
“I know he got my back, so I know there was no going for the Spartans around here,” Williams said.
“I love my family, I appreciate them coming to the game.”
