CHICAGO -- Washington's plan to continue rising up the Big Ten was briefly derailed in January when decorated quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced he would be entering the transfer portal.
After a chaotic two days where Washington and the Big Ten worked to enforce the contract Williams had signed with the school, Williams recommitted to stay with the Huskies.
"It was 48 hours," coach Jedd Fisch told ESPN. "Might have felt like 48 months during that two days, but we have completely blown past it."
Fisch and Williams both said they're not worried about lingering issues from Williams' transfer portal flirtation. Williams, who was targeted by LSU as a potential transfer addition, is looking forward to leading Washington's offense for a second consecutive season after passing for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025, while adding 611 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
"This is Demond's team, no question about it," Fisch said. "No one's doubting it, and the players are running right behind him."
Fisch, who has had four stints as an NFL assistant, likened the situation to a player holdout, adding that he's never had any residual negative effects. Williams told ESPN that he addressed the situation with his teammates soon after reversing course.
"It was really just confusing, ironing everything out," he said. "It's in the past. I'm just super blessed to get ready for this year."
Shortly before announcing his intention to enter the portal, Williams signed a contract with Washington that would pay him in the mid-$4 million range, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. The template of the contract, which the Big Ten orchestrated, did not require a school to enter a player's name into the transfer portal or assist in the process.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said the outcome of Williams' situation at Washington was "validation" for all the league members after "committing to a uniform contract."
"The school took an important stand, and we did," Petitti told ESPN. "There were some things happening behind the scenes to try to get to the right result, and that worked out. ... Look, do I think our contracts are perfect? No, but there is strength in actually trying to reach terms that that give you some conformity and continuity."
Fisch echoed the importance of enforcing contracts.
"Everybody should have contracts," Fisch said. "Coaches' contracts should hold up, and they don't. Player contracts should hold up, and sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But like, this is the real world. Like, we have contracts. ... You shouldn't be losing players just because someone else wants them. That's not reality. You should be losing players if that player doesn't want to be there."
Williams said he "can't wait" to start preseason camp next week and expand his leadership role.
"My voice is a lot bigger this year," he said. "When I talk, people listen, and I think that's super important, being able to embrace that. People can say that and not talk during lifts, not talk during runs, and things like that. But I think that this off-season has been great for me to step out of my comfort zone."