Why Oklahoma Expects DT Damonic Williams to Take 'Everything to Another Level'

One of Oklahoma’s key 2024 acquisitions is expected to be even better this fall. 

The Sooners battled Texas and LSU for the signature of TCU transfer defensive tackle Damonic Williams last offseason. Brent Venables and OU defensive tackles coach Todd Bates won the race for Williams, and he added immediate production to the heart of Oklahoma’s defensive line. 

Williams logged a career-high 36 tackles in 13 games, 12 of which he started, and he added 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble. 

Instead of heading to the NFL, Williams elected to return to Norman for his senior season — a move his head coach believes he’s making the most of. 

“This is a line of scrimmage league. This is a group of guys where you’ve seen several players make tremendous improvement,” Venables said last week at the OU Coaches Luncheon. “… A guy like Dam Williams. Pointed him out several times in front of the team because he’s taken everything to another level.”

Williams finished sixth on the team in tackles and returns alongside Freshman All-American Jayden Jackson, Gracen Halton and David Stone at defensive tackle. 

Oklahoma’s defense finished 2024 ranked 24th against the run, allowing 115.1 yards per game on the ground, and Bates hopes his entire group will be even better this season. 

“We have leadership in our group, man, that's a big part of it,” Bates said. “You know, Coach Venables talked about Dam Williams and the way that he's stepped up and, I don't want to say changed his game, but really tapped into his innards and the things that he would say to the group, encouraging them, leading the way.

“… At some point, some time in the season, we're going to face adversity and that's going to show what we're made of.”

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The Sooners did lose run-stopper Da’Jon Terry and his 22 tackles, but OU added 6-foot-3, 307-pound freshman Trent Wilson. 

Halton and Williams will continue to lead a relatively young group, though Bates’ unit is expected to be one of the strengths of the team. 

“(Williams is) changing his body,” Venables said. “He’s 320-plus pounds, and he’s moving very fast. Very explosive. His mindset’s completely changed.”