Why Oklahoma Felt Like the 'Right Place' for Former TCU DT Damonic Williams

Damonic Williams said he's "loving it" in Norman after receiving a wave of interest upon his entrance into the transfer portal.

Nov 18, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen (12) is tackled by TCU Horned Frogs defensive lineman Damonic Williams (52) during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

NORMAN — Damonic Williams never expected to be suited up at Oklahoma. 

In fact, his entire transfer portal process came as a bit of a surprise.

Williams arrived at TCU in 2022 rated as a 3-star recruit by 247Sports, and two short years later, he was one of the most coveted players in the entire portal. 

Brent Venables’ Sooners battled LSU, Texas and a host of other schools for the services of Williams, who ended his two-year stint with the Horned Frogs with 60 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks. 

OU defensive tackles coach Todd Bates worked tirelessly with Venables to add an impact player to the center of the defensive line, and Williams is already enjoying life in Norman after linking up with the Sooners this summer. 

“I’m loving it here,” Williams said after practice on Thursday. “Glad to become a Sooner. I remember when I was at TCU and I was playing against [OU] and it was just — this felt like just the right place to come.”

Williams took the path less traveled in the transfer portal. 

While most players decide a change of scenery is needed at the end of the regular season, Williams stayed with TCU for the spring before looking for a new school. 

Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes decided to part ways with defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie at the end of the 2023 season, and Boise State’s Andy Avalos was tipped to lead the unit. 

Avalos brought in his 3-3-5 defensive scheme and Williams wanted to give it a chance, but he ultimately decided the shift in direction in Fort Worth wasn’t the best fit for his game. 

“I didn’t make that decision [to transfer] in December because of the love I had in my players,” Williams said. “I’m a relationship-type of guy. And it’s like, I’d rather stick it out with them than go somewhere else. But then seeing what I felt like — I couldn’t produce what I was most capable of producing, that’s when I was like, 'Yeah it’s probably time to go.' ”

Once he made the call to leave TCU, his world was flipped upside down. 

"Actually," Williams said, "on my first official visit here, it was my first visit here, my mom was like, at the end of the visit, 'Either you’re going and I’m going with you, or I’m going by myself.' That was kind of already the deciding factor. ... For my mom it was the family-oriented environment. And for me it was the same thing, but also what I could do in this defense. 

“Once they finally announce it, my phone glitched out, powered off by itself. It was going crazy,” Williams said. “And I was like 'Mom, I don’t know what to do.’ But she’s my rock. Her and my grandma and my little brother. And like, ‘I don’t know what to do, Mom,’ because it was too much attention. Because I don’t like attention, that’s one thing I don’t like. But she was like, ‘Dam, this is what you deserve.’”

From there, his relationships with Venables and Bates took over.

“I feel like out of all the head coaches I met,” said Williams, “[Venables is] most definitely the best one because he’s just such a hands-on coach and not like a CEO-minded head coach where they’re just watching practice. Like no, he’s getting in practice. He’s chewing people out if they’re doing the wrong thing. It’s something that I love about this place.

“… Knowing BV, he’s not going to let me down either as a head coach. And knowing that I’ve got him in my back pocket and Coach Bates, I have him in my back pocket as well.”

Williams has had to lean on Venables, Bates and his teammates to get up to speed. 

Like Da’Jon Terry a year ago, arriving to learn Venables’ massive playbook during the summer is no easy task. 

With no actual practice, Williams had to work with his teammates to get up to speed so he can hit the ground running when the Sooners kick off on Aug. 30 against Temple. 

“There’s so much more that goes into playing with this defense,” Williams said. “And I felt like at TCU it was just a little more, ‘You’re going to be here. Just do what you’ve gotta do and that’s it.’ But here it’s going to be, you’ve got to look at your keys for sure.”

Williams said Terry helped him by grouping similar plays together, which allowed the new defensive tackle to start to make headway on the playbook. 

There will be plenty more room for growth as training camp progresses, but for now Williams is focused on catching up so the coaching staff can get the best of him in 2024. 

“I feel like in this defense, I have no limitations at all,” he said. “… Rush the passer. Be a run stopper. Everything.”