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Jedd Fisch emphasizes the need for quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to excel in crucial moments. Despite a strong 2025 season, Williams struggled in losses, highlighting the need for improvement in high-pressure situations.
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Since his arrival with the Washington Huskies, Jedd Fisch has placed extremely high expectations on quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
While he showed his high-end potential during the 2025 season, highlighted by a performance against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in which he recorded 402 passing yards and 136 rushing, he still has plenty of room to improve, especially in big moments. In Washington's four losses last year, three of which came against teams that ended the year in the top 25, the signal-caller threw for just 645 yards and 3 touchdowns with 6 interceptions, while he was able to add just 40 yards on the ground.
If the Huskies want to take a step forward, Williams needs to take a step forward when the lights are the brightest, and nobody understands that better than Fisch.
"Without a doubt, the main thing that we're working on is how good can we be in the big game?" Fisch said on the Big Ten Network. "We say competitive greatness is being at your best when your best is needed...it's really something we heavily believe in, and we need D to be his best in the biggest games this year."
"He's an elite player, I think he has a chance to do everything and anything you could ever possibly want, so we've got to make sure he does it at that highest level in the biggest games."
That message has clearly gotten through to Williams, who has spent a lot of time this offseason finding his voice as a vocal leader and continuing to understand the coaching staff's game plan at a higher level.
"Trying to find ways to play at a high level throughout the season," Williams said in February when asked to review his first full year as a starter. "Definitely going through a lot of learning curves, having some rough games, being able to come back the next week and respond and figure out how to adjust on the fly week by week, and continue to just learn how to prepare."
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Jedd Fisch wants Demond Williams Jr. to improve in the biggest moments
Jedd Fisch expects Demond Williams Jr. to improve his performance in critical moments, particularly during big games.
In the 2025 season, Demond Williams Jr. recorded 402 passing yards and 136 rushing yards in a standout game against Rutgers, but struggled in losses with 645 yards and 6 interceptions.
Jedd Fisch defines 'competitive greatness' as performing at one's best when it is most needed, a principle he emphasizes for Williams in big games.
Readers Rate Vikings' 2026 Draft Class: Mostly Positive Grades

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