The Washington Huskies lost their third consecutive game after falling to the Iowa Hawkeyes 41-24 on Friday, Oct. 9. The Huskies fell to a 3-3 record (0-3 Big Ten).
Starting Huskies QB Demond Williams Jr. suffered a rib injury late in the second quarter on a third-down run. Washington trailed 27-0 at the time of Williams’ injury.
Williams Jr. did not return to the game. He completed 6 of 11 passes for 69 yards. The QB had 11 carries for -8 yards.
Backup QB Elijah Brown impressed after taking over for the injured Williams Jr. The former Stanford QB completed 28 of 39 passes for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Huskies outscored the Hawkeyes 24-14 with Brown in the game.
Jedd Fisch Shares Demond Williams Jr. Injury Update
Washington head coach Jedd Fisch met with reporters on Monday. Fisch shared an update on Williams Jr’s injury status ahead of their Friday game against the Purdue Boilermakers.
“I’m not under the impression that he’ll be playing this week,” Fisch said on Williams Jr.
The expectation is that backup QB Elijah Brown will make his first start for the Huskies against Purdue.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote on X: “Washington coach Jedd Fisch said that back-up QB Elijah Brown is taking the first team reps, as he’d be surprised if starter Demond Williams (ribs) is cleared to play at Purdue on Friday.”
Demond Williams Jr. Struggles This Season
After totaling more than 3,600 scrimmage yards last season, Williams Jr. and the Huskies’ offense were expected to be strong.
Williams Jr. has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,396 yards through 6 games of his junior season. He has added 8 touchdowns to 3 interceptions.
In addition, the Huskies QB has tallied 64 rushes for 183 yards.
However, the Washington offense has disappointed overall. They are averaging 26.6 points per game this year. The Huskies have only surpassed 25 points once this season (48 points against Eastern Washington).
Can Elijah Brown Be a Viable QB for the Huskies?
Brown certainly impressed while stepping in for the injured Williams Jr. He also has starting experience in a Power 4 conference.
The former 4-star high school prospect attended Stanford for the past two seasons.
He played in 6 games at Stanford last season, completing 74-of-127 passes for 829 yards and 4 touchdowns to 2 interceptions. He led the Cardinal to a win over Cal.
Brown was ranked the No. 107 QB prospect as a transfer by 247 Sports before choosing Washington.
Washington HC Jedd Fisch Gives Crucial Demond Williams Jr. Injury Update Ahead of Purdue