The Wolverines are among the worst in the country this year in punting, averaging just 36.9 net yards per punt. Earlier this week, Michigan special teams coach J.B. Brown discussed what he is doing to try and get Tommy Doman’s high level of play back:
Michigan Wolverines punter Tommy Doman has continued to struggle in 2024, and that’s a major concern heading into the game with the No. 1 Oregon Ducks . Doman’s inability to play up to his expectations have hampered the effectiveness of the special teams unit and often leaves the defense in difficult situations due to poor field position.
For the second time this season, Michigan special teams coach J.B. Brown discussed earlier this week why Doman has struggled in 2024.
“His feet are a little bit different and we’re working on getting back to where they were. But he’s practicing extremely well, so we’re just waiting for it to translate to the stadium,” Brown said. “We need to get his feet and hips underneath him, and be able to get the ball out a little bit more. We’ve been trying to change up his rhythm in practice.”
The Wolverines rank 100th in the country in net punting with 36.9 net yards per punt. Doman showcased his potential by averaging 44.3 yards per punt on 53 attempts last season. However, this year has been a stark contrast, as he is recording just 41.1 yards per punt on 35 attempts.
“Tommy has done it in previous years. He did it last year and he’s been here for four years. We just have to get him back into a rhythm, and that’s my job to make sure he’s ready to go,” Brown told the media back in September. “We’ll continue to make his pregame routine a little bit different. We have to get better and at the end of the day, that’s on me.”
Doman’s last three performances have been particularly concerning, managing an average of 36.6 yards per punt in a win over the Michigan State Spartans last week, and only 32.7 yards per punt in a loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini . Brown continues to instill confidence in Doman, but he hasn’t shown many signs of improvement.
“We have confidence in him. He works hard and takes his craft very seriously. The way he works and prepares, there’s no reason why he won’t perform well,” Brown said. “We have an individual camera on him every day in practice. We go through every one of those to try to find any flaw he has, and we work on mental and physical attributes as well.”
It appears Doman’s struggles can be attributed to accuracy rather than leg strength because he still ranks 17th in the country with 4.22 seconds of hang time per punt, but his placement remains unsteady. There is certainly pressure on Doman to regain his previous form as Michigan gears up for a pivotal stretch of the schedule.
Despite struggling to find consistency this season, there was a glimmer of hope when Doman delivered a great showing against the USC Trojans , placing five punts inside the 20-yard line to go with 49.1 yards per punt. If he can channel that energy against Oregon, the Wolverines will increase their chances of securing a win.