Tommy Doman looking to find rhythm earlier in games

Through the No. 17 Michigan football team’s first two weeks, there have been numerous position groups that have experienced regressions from last year’s championship season. With the quarterbacks, running backs, defensive backs and especially the offensive line, these regressions have had an explanation: the departure of dozens of starters and growing pains faced by their replacements. 

But there’s truly only one part of the Wolverines’ game that has seen no turnover whatsoever — punting. And still, the first two games haven’t gone quite to plan. 

In his second year as Michigan’s starting punter, senior Tommy Doman hasn’t yet recreated the strong level of output that he demonstrated last season. In just five punts, his 37.8-yard average is 6.5 yards less than his 44.3 yard average last year. With a costly 28-yard kick against Texas and other misfires, he’s been imperfect. However, neither Doman nor special teams coordinator J.B. Brown are worried. Rather they’re focused on helping Doman find his rhythm earlier in games.

“I know punting, we’ve got to get better,” Brown said Wednesday. “At the end of the day that’s on me, I’ve got to get them into a better rhythm. We’ll work on that.” 

For Doman, getting his leg going early in games has been the main area where he has struggled. Of his five kicks this season, his best have come after he has already had opportunities to punt. Doman is looking to start hot, and the Wolverines’ defense could use the help. 

When Doman has had success in the past, his leg has pushed opponents deep into their own territory and given his defense more field to work with. The past two games, shorter kicks and less hang time have allowed the Wolverines’ opponents better field position and given their defense a slimmer margin for error.

Against Texas, Doman’s first kick only netted 28-yards after an unfortunate backwards bounce, leaving Michigan exposed with the Longhorns starting on their 44-yard line. And a week before that, with just a 37-yard punt versus Fresno State on his first kick, and a 36-yarder on his second, Doman’s evening started inauspiciously. 

While he wasn’t perfect later in either game, he did show marked improvement. Now, the goal for Doman and Brown is to make sure that next time that improvement happens before the game. But despite his struggles through the first two games, Brown’s confidence in Doman comes from what he has shown in practice, and what he proved last year. 

“He’s been doing a great job in practice,” Brown said. “We’ve done a couple different things in practice to help him get into a better rhythm, and I think we’ll continue to make his pregame routine a little different to try to get him started a little bit earlier.”

If Doman can get his leg up to speed prior to his first few kicks, the hope is that can return to the form he demonstrated last year when he averaged the fifth-most yards per punt in the Big Ten and sent 22.6% of those kicks farther than 50 yards. 

With a career best 71-yard punt, Doman has shown a big leg in big moments. And with crucial kicks late in games like last year against Maryland when he slotted a punt on the 1-yard line late in a tight contest, he has showcased the ability to handle pressure well. These physical and mental traits give Brown confidence that Doman will shake off his early-season struggles. 

“Tommy’s done it in previous years,” Brown said. “He did it last year and he’s been here for four years and he’s had great practice habits. It’s just getting him back into the rhythm, I think that’s my job of making sure he’s ready to go on Saturday.”

This Saturday, and every Saturday for the rest of the season, Doman’s performance likely won’t be the only determinant of Michigan’s outcome. But through this year’s early struggles and last year’s successes, Doman demonstrated that he can have a tangible impact on the game’s outcome. 

In finding his rhythm earlier in games, he’s hoping his impact will again be a positive one.

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