Why Michigan DE Dom Williams Wants a Piece of Oklahoma 'Game Changer' John Mateer

ANN ARBOR, MI — Michigan defensive end Dom Nichols said Tuesday that he personally was still hurting over the way his team swallowed a 24-13 loss at Oklahoma last year.

He sounded like he couldn’t wait to get back on the field against the Sooners this Saturday inside Michigan Stadium.

“I definitely feel a certain way about this game,” he said. “Just watching the older dudes last year and how they felt after having to take that one to the chin. That definitely sits with me still.”

Nichols said he’s especially eager to catch up with OU quarterback John Mateer again.

“He’s not getting away from me,” Nichols said.

As Mateer took control of last year’s matchup with 274 yards passing, 74 yards rushing and three total touchdowns, Michigan tried to rally from a 21-7 deficit but then couldn’t stop Mateer from putting the game away late with a 16-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 8 1/2 minutes off the game clock and culminated in a Tate Sandell field goal.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Nichols played 24 defensive snaps that night, according to Pro Football Focus. That included seven pass-rush plays, on which he didn’t record a single pressure, hit or sack. Last week’s game against Western Michigan was his first career start.

Nichols said Mateer is the one that makes the Oklahoma offense go, and that he’s “one of them” quarterbacks he’s had circled on the schedule.

“He’s a game-changer,” Nichols said. “That’s what it is. He’s good with the football, he’s a smart guy, he’s a fifth-year dude and he knows what he’s doing out there. He’s got experience. He’s a good football player.”

OU is coming off an easy 51-0 victory over UTEP, while Michigan got outplayed and should have lost to Western Michigan before getting a second chance at a Hail Mary from quarterback Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan with no time on the clock.

“They got some changes they’re gonna have to deal with coming up here,” Nichols said. “But I mean, at the end of the day, we’re just playing football. May the best team win at the end of the game.”

Nichols said Western Michigan’s offense actually gave UM defenders a good scout of what he thinks OU will bring to town Saturday. Last year, he recalls, Mateer ran the football 19 times.

“It’s crazy,” Nichols said. “Honestly, I think in terms of play style, it’s kind of similar to Oklahoma. They want to run the QB and stuff like that. So it was a good look to look at that. And honestly, I feel the defense didn’t do too terrible, given the circumstances.”

Safety Rod Moore said Saturday’s outcome will come down to one thing for the Michigan defense.

“Tackling,” he said. “That’s the main thing. John Mateer is one of their better players. But they have a really good offense overall.”

“We did a really deep dive on him when he was at Washington State in the portal,” said first-year Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham, “because we would have liked to have him at Utah.”

“I think it all starts with him,” Nichols said. “I’ll keep it at that.”

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