Elijah Brown will start at quarterback for Washington against Purdue on Friday, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Brown had been considered the likely starter after Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said Monday that Demond Williams Jr. was unlikely to return this week from a rib injury he suffered during last Friday's loss to Iowa. Brown has been working with the first team in practice this week.
"I'm not under the impression that I think he'll be playing this week based upon where he's at physically," Fisch said, adding there would have to be a "pretty significant change" to consider Williams likely to play.
Williams' availability as a backup will be determined by how he feels in pregame warmups, a source told Thamel.
Williams, who is listed as questionable on the availability report, took a hit while diving for extra yards with two minutes to go in the first half of the team's 41-24 loss to the Hawkeyes. As Washington's field goal team came onto the field on fourth down, Williams went into the medical tent before heading to the locker room.
Brown led the Huskies the rest of the way in his first extended action with the team. He finished 28-for-39 for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
