The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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S P E C I A L T E A M S THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 115 POSITION COACH J.B. Brown is in his first season as Michigan's special teams coor- dinator, following three years as an analyst for the program. Brown advised U-M's special teams, which were coordinated by Jay Harbaugh, from 2021-23, helping the group rank third, second and 27th na- tionally in special teams FEI, an opponent-adjusted efficiency rating system. Brown has prior special teams coordinator experi- ence, having served in that role at Texas Southern from 2019-20. The Tigers slotted seventh nationally in punt return defense both seasons and eighth in net punting in 2020. He spent the 2017 and 2018 campaigns as a gradu- ate assistant at Houston, working with the special teams and secondary. He was a graduate assistant at Kansas from 2015-16, specializing in special teams, running backs and offensive line. Brown played second base for the University of Pacific baseball team, posting a .344 career batting average in 151 appearances, before being drafted by the New York Mets in the 14th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He is a native of Alvin, Texas. RETURNING PLAYERS TOMMY DOMAN • P/K Sr. • West Bloomfield, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 215 • Took over U-M's full-time punt- ing and kickoff duties in 2023, averaging 44.3 yards per punt (53 attempts) and 63.7 yards per kickoff with 68 touchbacks (99 attempts). • Tabbed as the third-team All-Big Ten punter by the coaches and honorable mention by the me- dia. • Named U-M's Most Improved Player (Special Teams) in 2023. • Appeared in four games in 2022 as a placekicker and kickoff specialist, and punted in one. Con- verted 2 extra points and punted once for 41 yards, and booted 6 touchbacks on 8 kickoffs. • Did not see game action during the 2021 season. • Selected for the 2021 All-American Bowl follow- ing his senior season at Orchard Lake St. Mary's High. • As a senior, named a six-star punter by Chris Sailer Kicking, which listed him as the No. 1 punter and No. 9 kicker in the land. • Kornblue Kicking tabbed him as a member of the Fab50 and a five-star prospect, and also ranked him as the nation's No. 2 punter and No. 2 kicker. • Named to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream Teams as a senior. He also was tabbed to The Detroit News All-State team as a sophomore and junior. • Pegged as a three-star prospect and the No. 2 punter nationally by the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP Punts Avg. FC I20 Long 2022 1 1 41 1 1 41 2023 15 53 44.3 26 18 71 Total 16 54 44.2 27 19 71 ADAM SAMAHA • K So. • Ypsilanti, Mich. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 185 • Appeared in one game, making an extra point in a win over In- diana, as a freshman, maintain- ing his redshirt. • Converted on 11 of 14 field goals as a prep senior with a career-long and program-record 49-yarder and was perfect on extra points. • Made 7 of his 10 field goal attempts with a 42- yard long and was flawless on PATs as a junior. • U.S. Army All-American Bowl participant and De- troit Free Press Dream Team member in 2022. • Regarded as a three-star prospect and the na- tion's No. 10 kicker per the On3 Industry Ranking. • Ranked by Kornblue Kicking as the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, a five-star prospect. • Also rated a five-star prospect by Kohl's Kicking. WILLIAM WAGNER • LS Gr. • Alpharetta, Ga. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 255 • Snapped in all 15 games on punts, field goals and PATs in 2023. • Started five games at long snap- per in 2022 before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Iowa Oct. 1. • Earned a scholarship from U-M during the 2022 offseason. • Played in all 14 games at long snapper in 2021. Named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance at Nebraska. • Contributed to all six games during the 2020 season. • Did not see game action in 2019. • Special Teams Player of the Year at Alpharetta in 2018. NEWCOMER DOMINIC ZVADA • K Jr. • Chandler, Ariz. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 174 • The second-ranked kicker in the transfer portal this offseason per the On3 Industry Ranking transferred in after two seasons at Arkansas State. • Joins Michigan with two seasons of eligibility remaining. • Named to the Lou Groza Award watch list ahead of the 2023 campaign, before making 17 of his 22 field goal attempts and all 41 of his PATs. • Connected on 8 of 10 attempts of 40-plus yards with a 53-yard long as a sophomore. • Nailed 17 of 18 field goals in 2022, adding a 30- of-31 mark on extra points as a freshman. That total includes 6 of 7 from 40-plus yards with a long of 56 yards. • Received a five-star rating from Kohl's Kicking and was ranked the No. 45 prep kicker in the nation as a 2022 prospect. Year GP PAT FG Long Points 2022 12 30-31 17-18 56 81 2023 13 41-41 17-22 53 92 Total 25 71-72 34-40 56 173 SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 19 Tommy Doman P/K 6-4 215 Sr. 99 Adam Samaha K 5-11 185 So. 49 William Wagner LS 6-2 255 Gr. — Dominic Zvada K 6-3 174 Jr. During his two seasons at Arkansas State, junior transfer Dominic Zvada connected on 71 of 72 PATs and hit 34 of his 40 field goal attempts. PHOTO COURTESY ARKANSAS STATE