Branson Hickman and Damonic Williams “hated each other” when they faced off at SMU and TCU, but now they’re making each other better with the Sooners.
Meeting Oklahoma’s newest trench soldiers on Thursday was a treat.
But listening to them chat about each other was even better.
“Probably didn’t like each other much,” said center Branson Hickman.
“I can’t lie,” admitted nose tackle Damonic Williams, “me and him, we hated each other.”
Hickman at SMU and Williams at TCU had a few of memorable clashes in the middle of the field in 2022 and 2023, but now they play for the Sooners and get to compete against each other every day in practice.
“It’s good to go against a familiar face every day that’s also a really good player,” Hickman said Thursday, a day after Oklahoma began preseason training camp in Norman.
“I’m glad we’re on the same team now,” Williams added.
Williams, a 6-foot-1, 319-pound junior from Torrance, California, has started 27 games for the Horned Frogs over the past two seasons. He was a huge, powerful, speedy, and disruptive presence in the center, earning All-huge 12 honors in his first two seasons.
Hickman, a 6-2, 301-pound fifth-year senior from McKinney, TX, has made 33 starts for the Mustangs over the last three seasons. He was a strong, cerebral, patient blocker at center who earned All-AAC accolades the previous two years.
When they played in 2022 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TCU won 42-34 and advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
In their fourth game of the season, SMU fell to 2-2, while TCU advanced to 3-0.
Williams took 48 snaps that day and earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 61.3. Hickman played 92 snaps and received a grade of 63.5.
In 2023, they met again in Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, where TCU won 34-17 to move to 3-1, while SMU slipped to 2-2.
Williams played 45 snaps and had a score of 65.8, whereas Hickman received a grade of 74.8.
Williams won the Iron Skillet Trophy both years, but their head-to-head battles were fairly even: Williams, who began at nose but was able to move around on the defensive line, recorded two tackles in 2022 and had two stops with one QB sack in 2023. Hickman, on the other hand, started at center and never changed positions, allowing only one quarterback pressure in 168 snaps against the Horned Frogs.
“He is good. “He’s very strong,” Hickman remarked. “You’ve probably seen it before. He’s a big, strong guy who also moves well, so he’s definitely a good guy to practice against every day.
“He’s going to be good,” Williams stated. “He’s a really speedy center. He’s also quite brilliant. He’s an excellent center once he combines his speed and power.
Another similarity: both players took their time with the transfer portal – Hickman on Jan. 22, Williams on April 17 — and carefully considered their alternatives before settling in Norman. Hickman made the announcement on April 21 (the day after OU’s spring game), while Williams announced on May 3.
They’ve come to know each other a lot better in the three months since, and they’ve both been crucial reinforcements at positions that had previously been potential weak points along the OU offensive and defensive lines.
“It’s good,” Hickman replied. “I mean, me and Dam probably didn’t like each other much back in the day, but now we’re teammates, and we built a pretty good relationship in the summer.”