2021 Kicker-Punter Commit Doman Jr. Dubbed ‘Swiss Army Knife’ By Michigan Staff

After a successful junior season, Tommy Doman Jr. drew offers from schools across the country, but once Michigan entered the mix, he knew where his eventual home was. Find out why Doman felt so strongly about joining Michigan’s team in the coming years.

Kohl's Kicking Camps / submitted

After setting the school record for longest field goal at St. Mary’s High School over the past two seasons, combo kicker-punter Tommy Doman Jr. has booted his way into a scholarship at the University of Michigan.

IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE〽️🔵!!! COMMITTED TO THE MAIZE AND BLUE〽️🔵!!! pic.twitter.com/FEASSKoV6s

— Tommy Doman Jr (@tdoman19) April 3, 2020

After taking 12 different visits to U-M over the years, Doman has had the opportunity to build a rapport with the coaches at Michigan. This played a large role in why Doman picked the Wolverines over opportunities at Western Michigan, Boston College, Washington State, Army and Navy, among others.

“The coaching staff is really nice and welcomed me,” Doman told Wolverine Digest. “It’s an atmosphere that I was really excited to join. I enjoy being around the people. It was just a lot of fun every single time.”

In particular, Doman has built a close bond with U-M kicking coach Tyler Brown and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh. Brown, for example, dubbed Doman with a special nickname that describes the multi-talented 2021 prospect’s ability to impact a football game in multiple facets.

“[Coach Brown] wants me to take over all three aspects of the kicking game for Michigan,” Doman told said. “That’s been his vision. He has always called me the Swiss Army Knife as far as being able to do everything to help the team, and I’ve developed a great relationship with him since 7th grade at the kicking camp.”

In particular, Doman responded well to Brown’s coaching, and this influence helped persuade the in-state recruit that Ann Arbor was the right location to further refine his kicking and punting talents.

“He’s very meticulous when he coaches me,” Doman said. “I’m a taller guy, so the little things will impact kicking a lot. With his great kicking knowledge and being able to point those thing out to help me be as good of a specialist as possible really stood out to me. He had a lot of confidence in me, just tweaking things here and there while keeping that confidence has been really positive.”

Doman mentioned that Harbaugh is also one of the main reasons that he picked U-M, stating that the running backs coach and special teams coordinator spends hours breaking down special teams film, even going back to the 2015 season and pouring over tape for hours to find an edge.

After spending numerous hours at Michigan for kicking camps and unofficial visits, Doman has built a bond with the U-M staff, and that made his commitment decision a relatively easy one once he landed a scholarship offer.

“That’s my dream school,” Doman said. “So, it was pretty easy once that opportunity presented itself for me.”

Another aspect that made Doman’s decision a simple choice is the teammates that he will have once at Michigan. During his freshman season, Doman will be on the squad along with Brad Robbins and Jake Moody, and this trio has experience working together in the past, another fact that appeals to the top-5 kicker and punter in the nation.

“I kicked with Jake Moody at other kicking camps before he was at Michigan,” Doman said. “I’ve seen his progression from high school to college and absorbed all those observations and lessons those guys have taught me… It’s been really great to interact with those guys.”

And while Moody and Robbins were bearing inclimate weather against Notre Dame during the 2019 season, Doman was playing a game that took place at Eastern Michigan that same Saturday. As luck would have it, the rain storm centered on Doman’s game, and this experience helped prepare Doman for what he might face at the collegiate level.

“I am really glad I had that underneath my belt, so now I’ve kicked in the snow, the sleet and the rain with wind,” Doman said “It was really good to get that experience.”

This coming season, Doman is shooting to connect on at least 90% of his field goal attempts, have a perfect record on touchbacks and to garner a 45-yard average on punts at St. Mary’s. These are the metrics that one of Michigan’s newest commits will grade themselves on during the 2020 campaign.

Where do you see Doman slotting in once he joins the Michigan squad? Would he be best utilized at kicker or punter— or both? Let us know!