Analysis: Is Washington football poised to take a leap in 2025?

SEATTLE Jedd Fisch sees only one direction for Washington going forward.

We go up, he said on Tuesday, following UWs 35-34 loss in the Sun Bowl to Louisville.

We go up from here.

Washington completed its first season under Fisch on Tuesday.

UW went 6-7, winning every game at Husky Stadium and losing during every trip away from it.

UW enjoyed some monumental highs.

Beating Michigan to avenge the College Football Playoff championship game loss from a year ago.

Sweeping the Los Angeles schools USC and UCLA to earn bowl eligibility in Fischs first campaign.

Defeating Northwestern to earn a first Big Ten win since joining the conference before the season from the Pac-12.

There were also some low moments.

Dispiriting road losses against Iowa, No.

8 Indiana and No.

4 Penn State.

Apple Cup heartbreak on the goal line at Lumen Field.

An evisceration against No.

1 Oregon at Autzen Stadium.

But as Fisch repeatedly stated this season was always about building the foundations to be successful in 2025.

So here are three reasons for the UW faithful to be optimistic about next season and three questions that still need to be answered if the Huskies are going to take a major jump next season.

Demond Williams Jr.

continues to shine Entering the Sun Bowl, UW fans were cautiously optimistic about Demond Williams Jr.

Hed shown potential in limited opportunities particularly in UWs 31-19 win against UCLA on Nov.

15.

Williams made his second career collegiate start in the Sun Bowl, and shined despite failing to convert a last-second two-point conversion for the win.

He had 422 total yards and five touchdowns against Louisville, while leading UW to its second-highest point total of the season.

UW scored 35 points during its season-opening win against FCS-opponent Weber State.

The 5-foot-11, 187-pound quarterback did not reach the 100-completion threshold this season to qualify for UWs record book, but his 78% completion percentage and 176.9 passer efficiency rating wouldve smashed the current program records.

UW, in 2025, will go as far as Williams can take it, and the Sun Bowl was an encouraging performance that at least demonstrated why Fisch plans to build around him.

How much can the offensive line improve? The most obvious question facing UW, of course, revolves around the offensive line.

The Huskies struggled to protect their quarterbacks against the Big Tens best teams in 2024 and open running lanes against the conferences top competition.

UW has to replace starting center DAngalo Titialii and guards Enokk Vimahi and Gaard Memmelaar in 2025.

It will need massive improvement at tackle, too, where Sun Bowl starters Maximus McCree and Drew Azzopardi are currently expected to return after difficult seasons for various reasons.

Kansas State transfer Carver Willis will help, but UW once again has to rebuild its offensive line chemistry following all the departures.

Offensive production returns Washington wont return all of its skill positions.

Wide receivers Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter, along with starting tight end Keleki Latu, are out of eligibility in 2025.

But UW will return running back Jonah Coleman and wide receiver Denzel Boston, the most important skill position players on its roster.

Coleman, who rushed for 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, and Boston, UWs second-leading receiver with 829 yards, combined for 19 total touchdowns in 2024.

Add in tight end Decker DeGraafs three touchdown catches, and thats 22 of UWs 36 or 61% of UWs total scores returning in 2025.

Meaning Williams has experienced weapons at his disposal.

How does the defense replace so many contributors? UWs defense loses significantly more than its offense this offseason.

Veterans like edge rusher Voi Tunuufi, defensive tackles Sebastian Valdez and Jacob Bandes, linebackers Carson Bruener and Alphonzo Tuputala and safeties Kamren Fabiculanan and Cameron Broussard are out of eligibility.

Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon can also depart, though he has an extra year of eligibility because of the junior-college blanket waiver, while underclassmen contributors Jordan Shaw and Khmori House entered the transfer portal.

Cornerback Ephesians Prysock, who led the Huskies with 45 tackles in 13 games, and safety Makell Esteen (44 tackles in 10 games) are the only other players currently expected to return to Washington in 2025 who ranked among UWs top-10 tacklers in 2024.

Strong transfer class While UW loses many of its defensive contributors from 2024, it is bringing in several defensive transfers to help fill those gaps.

The Huskies currently have eight defensive transfers committed for 2025.

A trio of linebackers lies at the heart of this group: Jacob Manu, a former Arizona standout and 2023 first-team All-Pac-12 selection; Xeree Alexander, an Auburn native who played the past season at UCF and former Washington State linebacker Taariq Al-Uqdah.

Washington will also add three defensive linemen, two safeties and is still in play for cornerback Tacario Davis, who starred under Fisch and position coach John Richardson at Arizona.

The Huskies are also adding former five-star wide receiver Johntay Cook from Texas, tight end Kade Eldridge a Lynden native from USC and Willis, a 2023 All-Big 12 honorable mention tackle from Kansas State among others on offense.

How quickly can UWs younger players contribute? Washington is getting younger in 2025.

Fisch signed 29 players during the early signing period, and UW currently has 58 scholarships committed to players who will be sophomores by eligibility or younger next season.

Washington is going to need some of its younger players to step up quickly, and Fisch showed no hesitation to play true freshmen in 2024.

Williams, DeGraaf, safety Peyton Waters, wide receiver Audric Harris and running back Adam Mohammed all burned their redshirts this season.

Can one of UWs incoming prospects like four-star defensive backs Dylan Robinson and Rylon Dillard-Allen, top recruit and local linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale or one of the trio of blue-chip receivers Chris Lawson, Marcus Harris or Raiden Vines-Bright become an immediate contributor? Or perhaps it will be one of the less-heralded recruits who bursts onto the scene? Either way, UW will certainly appreciate if any of its younger players can make an impact considering how much of its roster is devoted to underclassmen.

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