Klatt: UW’s Demond Williams situation ‘everything that’s wrong’ in CFB
College football analyst Joel Klatt weighs in on QB Demond Williams Jr.'s decision to transfer from UW Huskies after reportedly signing contract.
Watch: Joel Klatt on Demond Williams II's Transfer "I Think He Got Bad Advice" | Seattle Sports | 20 mins
A sudden departure has the UW Huskies at the center of college football’s transfer portal drama, and it may end up leading to a landmark case that will help shape the future of college athletics in the NIL era.
UW Huskies star QB Demond Williams to enter transfer portal
Just four days after reportedly signing a contract to return to UW for his junior season last Friday, standout dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced he will enter the transfer portal. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Williams will enter the portal with a do-not-contact tag, which means only he can initiate communication with schools. That generally means a player already knows where he is planning to transfer to.
The revenue-sharing contract Williams signed with UW was worth roughly $4 million for one season, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Williams’ decision elicited a firestorm of reaction and debate on social media. On Wednesday, FOX Sports college football analyst and former University of Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt shared his thoughts on the messy situation with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.
“This is part and parcel to everything that’s wrong right now in college football,” Klatt said. “How can we be in a situation where contracts don’t matter with coaches, with players, anybody? And I feel really bad for Washington in this scenario. I think Demond Williams is getting bad advice.”
“I feel really bad for Washington in this scenario, I think Demond Williams is getting bad advice and I think that there is MAJOR tampering going on.” 👀@joelklatt reacts to the news of UW QB Demond Williams Jr. entering transfer portal w/ @BrockHuard & @TheMikeSalk. pic.twitter.com/zS3UymWajp
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) January 7, 2026
Multiple reports have stated UW is prepared to take legal action to enforce Williams’ contract. The Athletic reported the school has no plans of releasing him from the deal. Dellenger reported the school has been in contact with Big Ten officials, noting the conference drafts the revenue-sharing contracts for its members that Williams signed. Dellenger also reported UW believes tampering was involved and plans to submit evidence.
Klatt agreed that UW should pursue legal action against Williams. He also believes tampering was involved.
“I think that there is major tampering going on. (It’s) rampant in the entire sport,” he said. “… And I gotta tell you, we desperately need a collectively bargained agreement, desperately need it.”
A tipping point?
Klatt believes the case between UW and Williams, along with Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss during a College Football Playoff run to coach LSU just weeks ago, could help bring change to the sport. On3’s Pete Nakos reported Kiffin’s Tigers are an early school to watch in Williams’ recruitment.
“I think it’s going to drive the sport towards change, and we need that,” Klatt said. “… We need to change and build things that are better in our sport, structures that are better, and not wait until there’s a trainwreck to do it. Because in college football forever, we’ve waited for train wrecks and then been like, ‘Well, I guess we should fix that, guys.’ We are so reactionary in college football and in college athletics in general, and we’re seeing that play out. Like, what are we doing?”
Klatt came back to the point that a collective bargaining agreement is needed to help fix college football’s current system, which would include holding agents accountable. Unlike in the NFL, where agents must register with the NFL Players Association and go through extensive testing and screening to be eligible to represent players, agents for college athletes do not have to register with a governing body. That leaves the door open for unqualified agents to represent players.
“If we collectively bargain with the players, then we can also force their agents or representatives to register with that association or with that body,” he said. “Once that happens, those people are held accountable.”
Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports pp.
A potential UW Huskies first-round pick officially declares for NFL Draft
Related
UW Huskies QB Demond Williams Jr. likely to start vs Penn State
Dzepina, Watts lead UW Huskies men’s hoops over Colgate 90-76
Chaos hits college hoops as dozens play after judges block NCAA eligibility rules
Sellers’ triple-double helps No. 16 UW Huskies beat UC San Diego in opener
So long, slipper: Cinderella will be harder to find at March Madness
Ex-UW star Rome Odunze still has ‘chance to emerge’ with Bears
Comments
4 Comments
Ah, I remember the good old days when the payment for a College Football player was a free ride in college to get a degree.
All we have today is the organization of rich school donors allowed to "pay" NIL monies to players. Class is optional at best.
It’s time to boycott college sports in its entirety. It’s the only way things will change is when we the public stop watching. Until then nothing will change and it will continue to get worse.
I am out on all college sports. I stopped watching College basketball when they started the one and done crap. As far as I am concerned they should choose either go to NBA out of HS or go to school for at least 3 years like college football. Also time to bring back if you transfer you sit out a year but it won’t count as any type of year, the only way you can play the next year is if your HC is fired or leaves. If you sign a NIL contract you can’t leave and you can only sign a NIL contract for a max 250k in year 1, 500k in year 2, 1million in year 3 and 2 million in year 4 or 5. Finally the NIL means you are doing commercials, having your NIL in video games, autograph sessions actually having your name image and likeness being put to use by companies. So the university has to find something that is able to use you for some sort of advertising or promotional event. Until some of these things happen I am out of watching amateurs play. The amount of money they get paid is ridiculous and they aren’t worth the money. I’ve been completely priced out of attending college games. So congratulations NCAA you just bought yourself one less viewer and consumer of all amateur collegiate sports. CFL and NFL only.