Demond Williams Jr., Zach Durfee impress during Day 4 of UW fall camp (Seattle Times)

DerekJohnson · August 4

UW quarterback Demond Williams Jr. throws a pass during practice on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Seattle. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)

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By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Zach Durfee appeared to land the biggest hit of fall camp by accident.

The Huskies, who won’t wear full pads until the team’s sixth practice because of NCAA rules, were running a light-contact 11-on-11 scrimmage period when sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. handed the ball to sophomore running back Adam Mohammed.

The 215-pound tailback ran a few yards to his right before he was swallowed up by the mass of bodies around him. Looking to find some open space, Mohammed began to cut back toward the middle of the field when he was upended by Durfee. The 256-pound edge rusher, trying to fight his way back into the play, had barged into him, knocking him to the ground with an audible thump.

Durfee, immediately patted himself on the chest and apologetically raised his hand. Mohammed quickly hopped back to his feet and practice quickly resumed. Yet it was a memorable moment for the veteran edge rusher, who missed a majority of the past season because of turf toe injuries on both feet.

“Really, my only goal is to stay healthy,” Durfee said during Tuesday’s team media day. “I think everything else will take care of itself.”

Durfee and the Huskies held their fourth practice of fall camp Sunday morning at Husky Stadium. UW, wearing shoulder pads and helmets, enjoyed its most significant scrimmaging sessions to date, including several 11-on-11 and 9-on-9 periods, more red zone work, special teams drills and some one-on-one practice.

Williams threw eight touchdowns across the various scrimmaging periods to four different receivers. Junior wideout Kevin Green Jr. was the sophomore signal caller’s favorite target in the red zone.

The Arizona transfer hauled in three touchdowns: a 25-yard catch during the 9-on-9 scrimmage, a 13-yard slant during an 11-on-11 session and a 5-yard reception on a quick out during the up-tempo “Sandstorm” period — named because of the Darude song played over the speakers — at the end of practice. Two of Green’s touchdowns were against redshirt freshman nickel Rahshawn Clark.

Williams also threw a pair of touchdowns to Penn State transfer Omari Evans, a 16-yard strike during the 9-on-9 session and a 5-yard pass during a red zone period, and connected with sophomore Rashid Williams for a 7-yard touchdown on an out route during a third-down red zone period.

Demond Williams’ final touchdowns were both to freshman wideout Raiden Vines-Bright, with one coming on a 12-yard dig route over the middle of the field with freshman safety Rylon Dillard-Allen in coverage.

Vines-Bright’s other touchdown, however, was Demond Williams’ best throw of the day. Lined up against pressing senior cornerback Ephesians Prysock, Vines-Bright got a step after a clean release and Demond Williams dropped a pass over the top into the freshman receiver’s outstretched arms as he streaked down the left sideline for a 29-yard touchdown. Demond Williams previously praised Vines-Bright, a winter enrollee who shined during UW’s spring game, for the freshman’s work ethic.

“Continues to compete,” Demond Williams said Friday. “And that’s what I love about him. He’s just out there competing and doing his thing.”

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Demond Williams nearly had nine touchdowns Sunday, but sophomore tight end Decker DeGraaf dropped a 25-yard pass that he might’ve been able to walk into the end zone during an early 11-on-11 period.

However, Demond Williams wasn’t the only one finding the end zone. Fifth-year quarterback Kai Horton, the Tulane transfer, scored three touchdowns during the 11-on-11 periods. He connected with sophomore Audric Harris on a 7-yard drag route for a score during the third-down red zone period and found redshirt freshman Justice Williams for a 5-yard slant during the “Sandstorm” period.

Horton — who has minus-56 career rushing yards — also scrambled for a 16-yard touchdown after stepping up in the pocket to escape pressure, then finding a crease up the left seam to reach the end zone untouched. Horton’s best throw of the day came during a 17-yard wheel route along the right sideline to freshman tight end Austin Simmons, but he was likely going to be sacked by senior defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, who pulled up just short of touching the quarterback before he released the pass.

Despite all the scoring, Washington’s defense put together a solid showing, too. Prysock grabbed his first interception of the spring during the one-on-one period, picking off Demond Williams’ back-shoulder pass intended for Vines-Bright.

Additionally, Clark forced and recovered the first fumble of the season after punching the ball out of Harris’ hands after the receiver caught a pass in the flat from Horton during an 11-on-11 period.

Other defenders who had good days included Dillard-Allen, the winter enrollee who made two pass breakups against the top offense during the “Sandstorm” period and senior cornerback Tacario Davis, whose leaping one-handed swat of a Demond Williams pass in the back corner of the end zone prevented Rashid Williams from catching a 14-yard pass.

Extra points:

The first hints of an offensive line change happened during one of the 11-on-11 periods, when freshman guard John Mills played a handful of snaps with the top group in place of redshirt freshman Paki Finau. However, Finau quickly returned and finished the practice with top offensive line.
Washington continued to work on its five-player defensive fronts Sunday, with Durfee, senior defensive tackle and Western Michigan transfer Anterio Thompson, sophomore defensive lineman Elinneus Davis, sixth-year nose guard Logan Sagapolu and junior edge rusher Jacob Lane making up the top group.
Junior defensive tackle Armon Parker, junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker, freshman linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, senior linebacker Jacob Manu, sixth-year defensive lineman Deshawn Lynch, junior edge rusher Isaiah Ward, freshman edge rusher Victor Sanchez Hernandez and junior wide receiver Denzel Boston were all limited participants Sunday.
Sixth-year safety Makell Esteen and freshman wide receiver Marcus Harris did not dress or participate Sunday, though both were in attendance. Dillard-Allen was partnered with junior Alex McLaughlin in Esteen’s absence.
In another standout moment for Durfee, the edge rusher discarded the 200-pound Vines-Bright on a slide route in the flat, blowing up the play and forcing Demond Williams to scramble for a minimal gain.
Rashid Williams made the best catch during the one-on-one period, beating redshirt freshman cornerback Elias Johnson and dragging one foot to catch a pass from Horton near the back-right pylon.
Sophomore Leroy Bryant played his first repetitions at nickel Sunday. The 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back has primarily played outside cornerback, but lined up in the slot several times. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters stated Bryant was an option at nickel Thursday, adding him to a competition that already includes Clark and fifth-year defensive back Dyson McCutcheon.
Freshman quarterback Treston “Kini” McMillan got the first repetitions with the third offense during “Sandstorm” before switching with fellow freshman Dash Beierly near midfield. McMillan also threw an 8-yard touchdown to DeGraaf during the 9-on-9 period. Beierly nearly had a touchdown to end “Sandstorm” but his short pass to redshirt freshman running back Jordan Washington in the flat was dropped.
Senior kicker Grady Gross converted both of his field-goal attempts, each from 31 yards, during the third-down red zone period.
Scouts from the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills were present at practice.