Ohio State Buckeyes' head coach Ryan Day gave high praise to Washington Huskies' star quarterback Demond Williams Jr. prior to the team's week five contest.

As the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for the program's week five matchup against the Washington Huskies on the road, one name continues to be brought up as a real threat to head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.

When asked about Huskies' star quarterback Demond Williams Jr. earlier this week, Day told reporters that he is an excellent quarterback and that the defense "is going to have to work hard this weekend."

"Whether it's on the road or at home, a quarterback who can move with the quickness, acceleration that [Williams] moves with, it is difficult," Day said. "But not only that, [he's] very accurate with the football and he makes good decisions, doesn't turn the ball over, extends plays. He's a weapon in the run game...so it's a great challenge for our defense. He's an excellent quarterback, and our defense is going to have to work hard this weekend."

After getting playing time in the program's final two games of the 2024 season against Oregon and Louisville, Williams was given the keys to the offense this season. And throughout his three games as the starting quarterback for the Huskies, the rising star threw for 778 yards and nine touchdowns while maintaining the second-best QBR across the FBS at 93.5.

However, Williams' dual-threat capabilities has been a massive reason for his success thus fair, as he's also gained an additional 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 2025. His efforts in the run game give the Huskies and head coach Jedd Fisch a dynamic one-two punch on offense with running back Jonah Coleman.

Similar to his quarterback, Coleman has been able to find success early this season, tallying 347 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on just 54 carries. At 5-foot-9, 228 lbs., the senior rusher has a unique blend of size and speed to his game, allowing him to be a threat anytime the ball is in his hands.

For Williams, the sophomore playmaker will have his top receiving threat in Denzel Boston to aid in the passing game on Saturday. The highly-touted wide receiver has quickly made a name for himself this season, recording 16 catches for 249 yards and and three touchdowns in his first three games of the season. This will be defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's first time facing a potential future round-one pick as the defensive play caller for the Buckeyes, which poses an intriguing matchup to watch for in week five.

Luckily for Patricia and his defense, Ohio State is one of the best teams in the nation at defending the pass game this year. The Buckeyes have allowed an average of 118.3 passing yards per game this season, which ranks sixth amongst all FBS schools. The real threat, however, will be Washington's run game, as the defense has allowed an average of 109.3 rushing yards per game in 2025.