Washington quarterback Demond Williams has entered the transfer portal. Less than one week ago, Williams signed a new contract with the Huskies to return in 2026. Now, four days into the transfer portal cycle, the rising junior quarterback has announced he’s entering the portal. Williams’ entrance into the portal comes with a no-contact tag. This indicates he knows where he’s going already. Early reports point to that place being LSU with new head coach Lane Kiffin.
Demond Williams Enters Transfer Portal
In the current college football climate, nothing is shocking. But this development out of Seattle is as close as it gets. Jedd Fisch has repeatedly touted Williams as the “face of the program,” and discussed how the team has been built around its starting quarterback. Since arriving at Washington with Fisch in January of 2024, Williams had clearly been the future of the football team. He played in all 13 games as a true freshman last season, starting the final two. In 2025, he became the starter. The “no-doubt” starter, in the words of offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty, this past spring. Williams started all 13 games this season, throwing for over 3,000 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 775 more (sack-adjusted) with six touchdowns. But he’ll be taking that skillset elsewhere for 2026.
Soon after Williams posted his announcement on social media, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the University of Washington is prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce the contract Williams signed a few days ago. This situation is drawing the interest of the Big Ten in addition to Washington, as there is revenue-share compensation involved. Williams’ decision to enter the transfer portal is not only significant for the University of Washington, but also for the state of college football. Depending on how this plays out, we will soon find out how these contracts will be handled when players are being offered money from elsewhere.
The Huskies’ quarterback depth behind Williams is very young. It includes two rising redshirt-freshmen and a true freshman. We will continue to monitor the development at Washington, as the Huskies are now in the market for a starting quarterback in 2026.
