How Damonic Williams 'Epitomizes' Brent Venables' Culture at Oklahoma

Sooners' defensive lineman Damonic Williams is making a big impact on the field for OU, but has also proven to be a great piece of the team's locker room.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Damonic Williams signs posters during Meet the Sooners Day / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

NORMAN — Last Friday, junior defensive lineman Damonic Williams played his first game at Oklahoma.

The former TCU transfer earned a start in his first contest under Brent Venables, and anchored an OU defense that allowed just 69 rushing yards and less than two yards per carry.

After coming to Norman over the offseason, Williams has taken over as one of the Sooners' best d-lineman, setting the tone for the rest of what could be a deep group behind the experienced defensive tackle.

While his play on the field has impressed Oklahoma's staff, Williams' outgoing personality, eagerness to improve and valuable leadership skills have caught Venables' attention in just a few months.

"Damonic was really good. I love Damonic. Again, he's a guy that likes it. He likes to be coached, he's a very communicative, relational guy," Venables said. "So, he's going to ask you how your day is going, how your family is before you can ask him how his day's going and how his family is. He cares about people. He cares about his teammates, cares about his opportunity, cares about what you think of him as a player. And then really hungry and driven. He's willing to work and strain. ... (Williams) has given as much as he's taken in a very short amount of time that he's been here. ... So that's his motives. Leading the leadership council yesterday, the talk was about having motives that are pure. When your motives are focused on the right things, this is a game that will give you favor. If you live life with pure motives, if you will, life will give you favor as well. And, so he was one of our leaders in there and his motives, again, are pure. 

“I’m not looking at people that (think) individual success (is) a bad thing. To me, that’s a byproduct of being focused on showing up, doing your part, busting your rear, having humility, great self-awareness, inspire and bring out the best in your teammates, and maximizing this small window, very very very small window you have to play the game. He’s somebody who epitomizes that, in my opinion.”

In addition to Williams' play on the field making the Sooners' defense even more formidable, his experience and personality helps the former Horned Frogs standout teach the talented prospects on OU's roster.

With high-upside young players like David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Ashton Sanders and Markus Strong in Williams' position group, the veteran defender can help Todd Bates develop the Sooners' next defensive front while leading the unit on the field.

Being such a personable and charismatic teammate, Williams is able to effectively communicate with the other defensive lineman, making him a good mentor. Additionally, the Mission Hills, CA, product has started in all 28 of his collegiate contests, including two college football playoff games, giving Williams plenty of useful knowledge to pass along to the inexperienced players at his position.

Despite being one of the more seasoned defensive lineman on Oklahoma's roster, the former TCU star said that he has also improved since arriving in Norman during the spring.

"I would say my speed and my strength (have improved) and knowing more about football (since coming to OU). At TCU, I had a very young mindset," Williams said on Monday. "I wasn’t very much concerned about different sets and things like that. Now, I know certain types of sets. What formation is giving me what, runs and passes. ... I feel like (Week 1) went really well. Seeing our stats and everything, I was very proud of (the defense). I know there’s a lot of stuff out there we can fix. I know we’ll get that fixed for the next game"

If Williams' and the Sooners' defensive line is able to build on their impressive performance against Temple, Zac Alley's defense will certainly be one of the best in the SEC.

While the team's d-line rotation was solid even before the addition of Williams, the transfer tackle adds a star to the top of the depth chart and creates more depth as Oklahoma heads into conference play.

OU's defense racked up nine tackles for loss, six sacks and five takeaways against the Owls, with the team's interior defensive line wreaking havoc on Temple's offensive game plan. If Williams and company continue to compete at a high level, it will only make the rest of Alley's unit even stronger.

---