Commentary: Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. could challenge Buckeyes defense

Cal Raleigh is Seattle's best home run hitter. But Demond Williams Jr. might be next. Both players showed why Saturday, when Raleigh extended his arms and lifted his 57th long ball into the right-field bullpen, passing Ken Griffey Jr. for the most homers by any Mariner in a single season. At the same moment, Williams took a snap in the 117th Apple Cup, looked left and lofted a back-shoulder bullet to wide receiver Denzel Boston, whose 29-yard touchdown gave Washington (3-0) a 7-0 lead. Williams hit multiple homers Saturday. He also took too many hits. But let's focus on the former. The sophomore scintillated in UW's 59-24 win — completing 16-of-19 passes (84.2%) for 298 yards and four touchdowns while adding 88 rushing yards and another score. Before finding Boston, he slithered through a sliver in WSU's defensive line to gain 12 yards on third-and-6. Later, he erupted around the right edge for a 23-yard touchdown to make it a 14-0 first quarter lead. Then he spun out of a certain sack, rolled left and hit running back Jonah Coleman for 45 yards. Then he faked an end-around and bounded between tacklers for a 26-yard burst. Then he added a trio of touchdown passes to ice the Apple Cup — a 7-yard fade to the balletic Boston, a screen Coleman collected and finished for a 34-yard score and a 59-yard Omari Evans scamper down the left sideline. The paragraph, like the game, was packed with Demond Williams Jr. dingers. "Demond is sensational," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "I think a lot of the country saw what Demond can do today, being a national game. We'll see what it looks like in the future. But he's super special, and I can't wait to see him keep getting better." Better? Williams might already be the best dual-threat quarterback in college football. To beat Ohio State and Oregon, that's what he has to be. Because Saturday's performance was not as emphatic as the final score. Against a WSU defense that surrendered 59 points to American Athletic Conference opponent North Texas last week, UW produced 87 rushing yards with its tailbacks and surrendered three sacks. Considering the Cougs tallied just seven sacks in their first three games, Fisch conceded that "we got sacked a few too many times today." The Huskies also surrendered a few too many passing yards, as Coug quarterback Zevi Eckhaus completed 25 of 36 passes for 277 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Before the fourth-quarter flurry, UW led just 31-24 with less than 13 minutes left. UW's defense clearly missed injured cornerback Tacario Davis, and linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah left with an injury as well. The offensive line and defensive depth remain questions. As Big Ten play (and No. 1 Ohio State) awaits, it's increasingly apparent that the Huskies have holes. Which puts more pressure on Williams to hit homers. Doing so, at times, comes with consequences. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound sophomore took significant hits Saturday — like when he spun into linebacker Anthony Palano's forearm on a sideline scramble, or when he was buried by linebacker Parker McKenna for a 9-yard sack. Williams rarely slides or throws the ball away to voluntarily end a play — which makes sense, when he consistently does something special. But that presents a problem as UW enters a bruising Big Ten marathon. The Huskies can't afford to limit Williams' inclination to improvise, to do the things that separate him from everybody else. They also can't afford to lose their electric engine. "I'll continue to educate Demond the best I can, in terms of continuing to make smart decisions with his feet, with his throws, with when he's scrambling, when he's throwing it away, etc.," Fisch said. "But Demond's played like this his whole life. That's what we recruited. We recruited a player that makes plays when the play isn't there right away. He stands in the pocket and makes tough throws and he's not afraid to do that. He makes plays outside the framework of the play at times. "I'm not going to slow Demond down. Demond's a special, special player, and I'm just proud to coach him." That's the thing about home-run hitters: You have to let 'em swing. When asked Saturday how he balances the ability to be special while also being safe, Williams said: "For me, it really just depends on down and distance. A lot of the time you're trying to make plays on third down, extend drives. If it's first or second down, you're just trying to get the ball out. So I would say it just depends on the situation and trying to move forward every down." It's not as if Williams is Washington's only offensive weapon. Coleman compiled 163 total yards and three touchdowns Saturday, as the senior continues a sizzling September. Boston added six catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns, further separating himself as the Huskies' No. 1 receiver. UW's offense scored touchdowns on 12 consecutive possessions, before that streak ended in the second quarter Saturday. The Mariners and Huskies each have a legitimate lineup … led by a lethal home run hitter. Expect Williams to come out swinging Saturday against Ohio State.