The Seattle Seahawks aren’t the only football team in the Pacific Northwest heading into their second season under a head coach. The UW Huskies find themselves in the same boat as they prepare for their second year with Jedd Fisch at the helm.
Where UW Huskies and their opponents rank in preseason coaches poll
Fisch guided a program decimated by graduations and transfers to a six-win campaign in their first season as a member of the Big Ten in 2024. And expectations are higher this season with Fisch’s culture further established, more returning players in the fold than a season ago and a strong class of transfers and freshmen joining the team.
Expectations are high enough that former Alabama quarterback and national champion Greg McElroy slotted UW as his No. 25 squad in his top 25 rankings during an episode of his “Always College Football” podcast.
During his Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Wednesday, former UW quarterback Brock Huard agreed with McElroy’s case for UW being in the top 25, noting that McElroy’s analysis closely aligns with what he saw while watching practice at his alma mater last week.
Here is what McElroy had to say.
“What I love is their quarterback, Demond Williams. When Jedd Fisch – who knows this position extremely well, has coached the position at the highest possible level as a quarterback coach in the NFL – when he boldly came out and said Demond Williams is gonna be the face of our program. (He) kind of sat behind Will Rogers, got a little playing time here and there, took over the second half of the UCLA game, didn’t go so well in his first real start against Oregon, but bounced back in remarkable fashion in the bowl game.
“He finished the season with eight touchdowns, one interception, was actually second on the team in rushing. (If he) had more (passing) attempts, he would have actually led the Big 10 in QB rating. I think he’s gonna be even better from a sack-avoidance standpoint. Probably gonna be able to manufacture a lot of big plays. I think he’s one of the stars of college football, if not in 25, then at the very least in 2026.”
Williams, a four-star recruit out of high school, was productive in his limited time as a true freshman last season and showed off the dual-threat capabilities that make him a dangerous playmaker. Williams completed 78.1% of his passes (82 of 105) for 944 yards and added another 282 yards and two TDs on the ground.
Huard feels that the pairing of Williams with the running back combo of bruising senior Jonah Coleman and rising sophomore Adam Mohammed (listed at 228 pounds and 215 pounds, respectfully) gives the Huskies a dangerous backfield that will be fun to watch this fall. He just hopes what the Huskies are able to accomplish isn’t overshadowed by a potential Mariners playoff run and the Seahawks’ season.
“There’s not a lot of margin for the Huskies, and it’s too bad, because they are built exactly the way you love your football team (to be built),” Huard said. “A dynamic wizard of a quarterback. I mean, this guy can run. This guy, from a physical standpoint, is like Russell Wilson’s rookie year. He’s gonna run around. He’s gonna make plays.
“And then they got two freaking bowling balls. Mohammed and Coleman are (a combined 443) pounds of just pain. You don’t want to tackle them.”
Hear former UW Huskies QB Brock Huard’s full Blue 88 segment at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
More on UW Huskies football
• Brock Huard’s takeaways from UW Huskies fall football practice
• Jedd Fisch says UW Huskies ‘can really take that next big step’
• Joel Klatt: UW Huskies could ‘pop’ with 9 or 10 wins in 2025
• Phil Steele has higher expectations for UW Huskies this season
• UW Huskies WR Denzel Boston drawing first-round NFL Draft hype