Claudia CollinsOn Dec. 30 Basha dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced his commitment to the University of Mississippi. The four-star quarterback announced his top 10 programs in October with ASU and UofA falling into the mix but Ole Miss is the place he is choosing to call home.
“The first time I went down there it caught me a little off guard because I’ve never been to that Oxford area. But I actually like the smaller city life and how everything is close together, I think it fits me.”
Demond is ranked the No. 4 player in the state and is among the top 15 quarterbacks in the nation. When he was narrowing his choices he prioritized his relationships with the coaching staff, finding a city he could see himself living in for three to five years and a program that would help him get to his long-term goal of playing in the NFL.
“They like the way I can manage the game with my arms and my legs. They feel I can be a true dual threat that I can hurt you in both ways. Just straight football IQ, where to put the ball and when to do it. They were great. Whenever they called me it was always smooth and it was never forced. They had it strategically planned every week or every two weeks they gave me a call.”
In his junior season, Williams Jr. posted 2,339 passing yards and 23 touchdowns and 764 rushing yards. As a Basha Bear, Demond already has experience playing top tier talent at the high school level. It was important as he was making his choice to factor in where he would have the opportunity to play at the highest level of competition.
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“I see myself going out there and just competing. Just trying to get that starting job early. And then just being in such a tough conference in the SEC West playing against the best people in the nation when you come out of there it’s one of the easiest ways to put yourself on the map. Especially as a team to just go out there and win.”
Among Demond’s top 10 programs was his father’s alma mater, Michigan State University.
“My dad supported me through it all. He didn’t try to get into it too much. He just kind of lets me get into it and he would piggy back off of me. He would give me the ins and outs of how to see things from a different angle cause he’s been there before.”
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2022 is a big year for the Junior quarterback – from winning the Open Division State Title with the Basha Bears to making his commitment at Ole Miss. Now Williams Jr. says with his commitment announcement he is able to better focus on his upcoming senior season, winning another Open State Title and earning awards along the way.
“I’ve always wanted to commit early. I feel like committing early is definitely beneficial as a quarterback so you can build a class and firmly know where you’re going so you don’t really have to worry about anything else. By that time, as long as you know where you’re going you can build a class around you and just focus on the rest of your high school career until then.”
