There are normal quarterback storylines.

Then there is what Washington has dealt with this offseason.

Demond Williams Jr. was expected back. Then he entered the transfer portal. There was interest from major programs. Washington was reportedly not thrilled with how it all played out because of the NIL piece attached to his return. Then, after all of that, Williams ended up staying with the Huskies.

That is not a normal offseason.

It is also not something Washington can ignore.

The good news is simple: Williams is still a Husky.

And if Washington is going to make noise in the Big Ten, that is where the conversation starts.

The Huskies went 9-4 last season and 5-4 in the Big Ten. Jedd Fisch is entering year three, and Washington already feels like a program that can be dangerous in this new version of the league.

The question is whether the Huskies can become more than dangerous.

Can they become a real Big Ten title threat?

They have the quarterback.

They have offensive line continuity.

They had a top-15 scoring defense last season.

Now they have to prove they can beat the best teams on the schedule.

HEAD COACH

• Jedd Fisch, entering year three at Washington
• Washington went 9-4 last season.
• The Huskies finished 5-4 in the Big Ten.
• Fisch is 15-11 at Washington.
• Washington averaged 31.1 points per game last season.

Fisch has done a solid job.

That may sound like underselling it, but it is true. Washington had to deal with a difficult transition after the national title game run and the coaching change, then had to adjust to life in the Big Ten.

The Huskies have not fallen apart.

They have stayed competitive.

Now the next step is the hard one.

Washington averaged 31.1 points per game last season and 392 yards per game. The points were better than the yardage would suggest, which usually means the offense was efficient enough in key moments and got enough from its quarterback to finish drives.

The defense was the bigger surprise.

Washington allowed only 19.4 points per game and 319 yards per game. That put the Huskies near the top of the country in scoring defense, and it kept them in position to win most weeks.

That is a good formula.

The problem is the top of the league.

Washington was good enough to beat a lot of teams. It was not good enough against the best teams on the schedule. That is where this season has to change.

The Huskies do not need to become Ohio State or Oregon overnight.

But they do need to prove they belong in that next group.

And with Williams back, they have a chance.

QUARTERBACK

This is all about Demond Williams Jr.

He is one of the most established quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

Last season, Williams threw for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also brings a rushing element that makes Washington’s offense harder to defend.

The raw numbers are good.

The advanced numbers are even more interesting.

Williams completed about 75% of his passes from a clean pocket. When protected, he could pick teams apart. That is exactly what you want from a quarterback in this offense.

Even under pressure, he held up well. Williams completed about 56% of his throws under pressure with six touchdowns and only one interception.

That matters.

A lot of quarterbacks fall apart when the pocket gets messy. Williams did not. He stayed composed enough to make plays and did not turn pressure into disaster.

The deep-ball numbers also give Washington a real ceiling. Williams completed about 40% of his deep throws with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

So what is the concern?

The biggest games.

Against Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon last season, Williams threw two touchdowns and five interceptions.

That does not mean he is not good.

Nobody was exactly lighting up those teams.

But if Washington wants to move from good to dangerous, Williams has to be better in those games. He cannot just beat the middle of the league. He has to give Washington a chance against the teams that can win the Big Ten.

The offseason drama is going to get talked about.

That is unavoidable.

But once the season starts, nobody will care if Washington is winning.

That is the reality.

If Williams plays well, it becomes a footnote.

If he struggles, it becomes part of the story again.

THE REST OF THE OFFENSE

Washington has enough around Williams to be interesting.

The receiver room starts with Dezmen Roebuck, who was a freshman All-American type of player last season. He had 42 catches for 560 yards and seven touchdowns, and he gives Williams a proven target who can continue to grow.

That is a big deal.

The Huskies also get Rashid Williams back after he battled injuries last season. If he is healthy, that gives Washington another receiver who can help stretch the field and take pressure off Roebuck.

At tight end, Decker DeGraaf is back after finishing with 327 receiving yards. That is a useful piece in this offense, especially for a quarterback who can extend plays and work the middle of the field.

The running back room has options, but it also has questions.

Quaid Carr is in the mix. Trey Cooley is in the mix. Washington has bodies there, but the Huskies need someone to take control of the job. Williams can run, but Washington does not want him to become the entire run game.

The offensive line may be the biggest reason for optimism.

Drew Azzopardi, Geirean Hatchett, Landen Hatchett and John Mills are all part of the projected group. That is a lot of continuity up front, and it matters because this team is at its best when Williams is protected.

If Washington keeps Williams clean, the offense can be efficient.

If the run game becomes more stable, the offense can become dangerous.

That is the next step.

The passing game is good enough.

Now the Huskies need the run game to make defenses respect both sides of the offense.

DEFENSE

The defensive numbers were strong last season.

Washington allowed 19.4 points per game and 319 yards per game. Opponents also ran the ball on only about 46% of their plays, one of the lower rates in the country.

That tells you teams did not just line up and push Washington around.

The question is whether the Huskies can repeat that level of defense with only a few returning starters.

The key returning names start up front with Elinneus Davis and on the edge with Jacob Lane. In the secondary, Alex McLaughlin is back as one of the key pieces.

Washington also brings in important transfers.

Darin Conley comes in from Ball State, and DeSean Watts comes in from Sacramento State. Those defensive line additions should help a group that needs more depth and more production.

At linebacker, Xe’ree Alexander and Jacob Manu are both back. That matters because even if the returning starter count looks low, there are still players on this defense who have played meaningful football at Washington.

The secondary also has some interesting pieces.

Emmanuel Karnley began his career with Fisch at Arizona and now comes over to Washington. Dylan Robinson started five games as a freshman. Rylon Dillard-Allen and McLaughlin give the Huskies more experience in the back end.

So the defense is not empty.

But it does have to prove it can stay near last year’s level.

That is not easy.

A top-15 scoring defense is hard to repeat. Washington does not need to be exactly that good again, but it cannot take a huge step back.

If the defense stays solid, Williams gives the Huskies a chance in almost every game.

If the defense slips, the schedule gets a lot tougher.

SCHEDULE

The schedule gives Washington a chance to start fast.

The Huskies open with Washington State, then host Utah State and Eastern Washington before opening Big Ten play at home against Minnesota.

That means the first four games are all very winnable.

Washington should expect to start strong.

Then the schedule gets real.

The Huskies go to USC on Oct. 3, then host Iowa on Oct. 10. That is a fascinating two-week stretch because those teams test you in completely different ways.

USC can score.

Iowa wants to drag you into a rock fight.

After Iowa, Washington goes to Purdue, then gets a bye before going to Nebraska on Halloween.

That road stretch matters.

Four of Washington’s final six games are away from home, and that is where the season gets tricky.

After Nebraska, Washington hosts Penn State, then goes to Michigan State. Then comes the brutal finish: Indiana at home on Nov. 21 and Oregon on the road on Nov. 28.

That is a tough way to end the year.

Indiana is the defending national champion. Oregon is one of the best teams in the country. And going to Autzen Stadium in the regular-season finale is not exactly a soft landing.

The interesting schedule note is that five of Washington’s first six games are at home, with the only road game being USC.

That gives the Huskies a chance to build a record.

But the back half will decide what kind of team this actually is.

If Washington is in good shape going into November, the Huskies could be one of the more dangerous teams in the Big Ten race.

If they stumble early, that closing stretch could become a problem.

OUTLOOK

Washington is one of the teams in the Big Ten that could swing a lot of different ways.

The optimistic case is strong.

Demond Williams Jr. is back. He is experienced, productive and efficient under pressure. Dezmen Roebuck gives him a young playmaker. Rashid Williams can help if healthy. Decker DeGraaf gives the offense a tight end piece. The offensive line has continuity. The defense was excellent last season and still has enough returning talent to be good.

That is a real case.

The concern is also real.

The offseason quarterback drama could become a distraction if things start poorly. The run game has to find a lead back. The defense has to replace important pieces. And the schedule ends with Indiana and Oregon, two games that could expose any weaknesses.

The best-case scenario is that Williams plays like one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten, Roebuck becomes a clear No. 1 receiver, the offensive line keeps the offense efficient, the run game settles, and the defense stays close to last year’s level.

If that happens, Washington can win nine or 10 games.

The worst-case scenario is that the quarterback story lingers, the offense becomes too dependent on Williams, the defense slips from top-15 level, and the late schedule knocks the Huskies down.

That is possible too.

If Washington is sitting there in November with only a couple losses, the whole league better pay attention.

Because with Williams at quarterback, the Huskies are good enough to ruin someone’s season.

And maybe good enough to make one of their own.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.