Huskies expect two offensive contributors back after bye week
Washington tight end Quentin Moore rumbles to the Ohio State two-yard line, Sept. 27, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)
By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter
The Husky offense was already getting healthier before the bye week arrived.
Washington’s offensive depth looked suddenly thin after its 24-7 loss against No. 21 Michigan, but the Huskies got two key players — sixth-year left tackle Carver Willis and freshman left guard John Mills — back from knee and lower leg injuries, respectively, before their 42-25 rout against Illinois.
And now, with a bye week ahead, UW coach Jedd Fisch said he expects two more important offensive contributors to return imminently.
“We’re becoming pretty healthy here,” Fisch said Monday.
Seventh-year tight end Quentin Moore and sophomore wide receiver Rashid Williams are both expected to be available when Washington plays Wisconsin on Nov. 8, Fisch said Monday.
So the UW coach, who deployed some unique personnel groups against Illinois like playing second-team center Zachary Henning at tight end, suddenly has an entirely different dilemma on his hands. Though it’s not one Fisch minds contemplating.
“It’s a nice problem to have when you gain depth,” Fisch said. “It’s a nice problem to have when your starters come back or when guys who were impacting the game come back. So we’ll have to really look at it and see as we get Quentin Moore back, as we get Rashid back.”
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Moore, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Kenmore native, departed during the first half of UW’s loss against Michigan. He went down while making a block on the Huskies’ punt shield, then stayed on the field for several minutes while being examined by trainers before being carted off the field strapped to a spinal board. Moore was taken to a hospital for precautionary testing, and Fisch announced Oct. 20 he’d suffered “a concussion, or something to that effect.”
The veteran’s return will stabilize a tight end group that had just three healthy players — four including Henning — against Illinois. Sophomore Decker DeGraaf made two catches for 13 yards while playing 61 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That included 42 snaps lined up as an in-line tight end, just the second time during UW’s past six games he’d surpassed 40 snaps at that position.
Henning played 11 snaps against Illinois, according to PFF, while true freshman Baron Naone got nine snaps while making just the second appearance of his Washington career. Henning, Fisch said, will move back to the offensive line following Moore’s return.
The UW coach was full of praise for Naone, who secured a role as the team’s third tight end behind DeGraaf and Moore for UW’s remaining games. Naone will fill in for sophomore Kade Eldridge (foot), who was ruled out for the season by Fisch on Oct. 20.
“He did a really nice job,” Fisch said about Naone. “He’s going to be very good. Very, very good. He has a ton of potential to be a very good player.”
Williams’ return might cause Fisch more deliberation. The 6-1, 190-pound receiver was one of UW’s standouts from spring practices and fall camp. He was named a starter for the first time in his career before Washington’s season-opening game against Colorado State, and made four catches for 27 yards.
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He started the second game well, too, making a 27-yard catch during the first play of UW’s opening drive. However, Williams suffered a collarbone injury when he was tackled at the end of the play, and Fisch announced he’d undergone surgery during Washington’s first bye week.
Fisch commended Williams’ approach to recovery. The UW coach said he always wants to keep injured players engaged around the team while providing them resources to deal with the mental challenges of a long rehabilitation, including regular meetings with Washington’s sports psychologists.
He noted Williams has been very involved at practices and meetings despite being unable to play, and added the sophomore receiver hasn’t missed a single team activity.
“He’s just getting ready and getting stronger,” Fisch said. “I think that’s a really cool opportunity for him to come back after his surgery. I think he’s ready to roll.”
But Williams’ absence paved the way for one of Washington’s ascending freshmen. Dezmen Roebuck, the 5-11, 185-pound wide receiver from Marana, Ariz., replaced Williams and has enjoyed a breakout campaign. Roebuck registered 24 catches, four touchdowns and 394 yards receiving during eight games — more receptions, touchdowns and yards than Williams managed through the first 17 games of his college career.
Roebuck is coming off a two-touchdown performance against Illinois, the first multi-score game of his career. Fisch complimented Roebuck’s catching ability, balance, body control, physicality and ability to adapt to whatever the coaching staff has required of him.
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“It’s pretty special seeing what he’s been able to do since he got here,” Fisch said. “We’ve put him in a lot of positions to have to do a lot of different things. We put him inside. We put him outside. We motioned him across. We put him in the backfield. We’ve motioned him out. We’ll continue to do that. His growth has been great. Been fun to watch him.”
And there are other wide receivers besides Roebuck vying for snaps. Senior Omari Evans, the Penn State transfer, played a season-high 21 snaps against Illinois, according to PFF.
The Huskies (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) have also tried to find opportunities for true freshman Chris Lawson, who had two catches for 11 yards against the Fighting Illini. He’s played in four games this season and will almost certainly avoid a redshirt this season.
Adding Williams to the mix means another wide receiver who will command snaps. Fisch said the Huskies planned to rotate Williams and Roebuck at the Z-receiver spot entering 2025, and both will get opportunities going forward.
“We’ll continue to look at different substitution patterns,” Fisch said. “Maybe there’s a package or two that somebody can be responsible for that potentially gives them some more reps if we call that personnel package.
“But we’ll always play the guys who we think will help us the most every given play.”
Extra points:
- While Fisch said Moore and Williams will return for Wisconsin, he was less certain about junior edge rusher Isaiah Ward, who missed UW’s win against Illinois with a lower body injury. Fisch said the Arizona transfer will not practice this week and will be reevaluated after the bye weekend.
- Fisch also said junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker (Achilles tendon) and veteran safety CJ Christian (turf toe) may not return this season. Parker, who played in four games before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, appeared briefly against Michigan, lining up with his twin brother Armon Parker for the first time in their careers not far from their hometown Detroit. Christian, an FIU transfer, played briefly against Colorado State Aug. 30 but has missed UW’s past seven games.
- Washington’s game against Wisconsin on Nov. 8 was selected for a six-day hold by the Big Ten and its television partners Monday, one of four games flexed by the conference. The Huskies will find out their kickoff time after games conclude this weekend. Only two games — No. 1 Ohio State vs. Purdue and Maryland vs. Rutgers — were locked into kickoff times by the conference Monday.
- Junior wide receiver Denzel Boston earned Big Ten offensive player of the week honors Monday for his 10-catch, 153-yard performance against Illinois that also included a touchdown receiving and a TD passing. It’s the first time the South Hill native has been selected for a weekly conference honors, and the fifth time a Husky has won Big Ten offensive player of the week this season. Senior running back Jonah Coleman and sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. have each won the award twice. Boston shared the award with running back Justice Haynes, who had 152 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Michigan against Michigan State.
- Washington’s bye week schedule will include three days of practice. Fisch said Monday’s practice will focus on corrections from Illinois, before preparation for Wisconsin begins Tuesday. Coaches will do some recruiting during the weekend, while players will have a few days off before returning to a game-week schedule next week.
Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.
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