After the best game of Jordan Domineck’s career to that point, Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins brought him in for a meeting. It was Thanksgiving week of 2019, near the end of Collins’ first season at Tech.
Domineck had been named ACC defensive lineman of the week after a 10-tackle performance against N.C. State, including a tackle for loss on a fourth-and-2 at the Yellow Jackets’ 10-yard line in the first quarter. What Collins said he saw, though, was a player freelancing and operating outside of the defense’s framework.
“So I brought him in after he got the award, and I just showed him a bunch of plays,” Collins told the AJC this week. “‘Hey, this is what you could have done better. This is what we need you to do. Glad you got the award, but this is (what you could have done differently.)’ It wasn’t a great meeting. It was pointed.”
On Tuesday, Domineck won the award again, for the third time in his career. The highlight that sped across social media was his 70-yard fumble return for a touchdown after he batted down an option pitch by Kennesaw State quarterback Xavier Shepherd, scooped it up and took off, first stiff-arming Shepherd to the ground before shoving linebacker Charlie Thomas (his own teammate) into a would-be tackler to reach the end zone.
In that game, Collins said, Domineck was “100%” within the defense’s framework, playing his assignments, using the proper techniques and fundamentals and giving full effort. This time, Collins had no need for a meeting, just a phone call to inform him of the honor.
“(Domineck’s reaction) was, ‘Hey, Coach, that’s awesome. We’ve got work to do,’” Collins said. “And that (response) wasn’t necessarily the case two years ago. So pretty cool.”
As Collins leads the Jackets in his third season – they play at No. 6 Clemson on Saturday in the ACC opener for both teams – perhaps no one on his roster can validate the development process that he has touted more than Domineck. A three-star prospect out of Lakeland, Fla., who was ranked the No. 72 weakside defensive end in the country (247Sports Composite) in the 2018 signing class, Domineck has developed into an All-ACC candidate and arguably Tech’s most impactful player on defense. This week, Domineck’s name was on the lips of Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, who identified him and defensive tackle Ja’Quon Griffin as the “heart and soul” of the Jackets defense.
“He does a good job, plays really hard,” Elliott told media at Clemson.
The latter appraisal is at the heart of Domineck’s progress at Tech since arriving in 2018 as part of former coach Paul Johnson’s last freshman class. Even watching the single play against Kennesaw State offers a primer on some of his physical tools – a well-developed frame with a long reach, agility and explosiveness. A fuller examination reveals that he holds up the point against the run and chases hard after the ball. As a pass rusher, he is quick off the snap and powerful in driving back offensive tackles.
But the effort, both on the field and in preparation, has separated him. When director of applied science Ryan Horton brings Collins the daily scores from practice of players’ effort, top speeds and other measurements calculated by the team’s wearable GPS performance-tracking system, Domineck is invariably rated first among defensive linemen for effort, Collins said.
“He’s going to give the highest effort, he’s going to try to do things the right way, and it’s just really cool, the development of a player, and Jordan shows that full arc,” Collins said.
The first steps of Domineck’s path with Collins and defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Marco Coleman were taken in 2019, Collins’ first at Tech. Domineck had played outside linebacker in former defensive coordinator Nate Woody’s 3-4 defense, and he wanted to stay there when Collins arrived and shifted to his 4-2-5.
“I wanted to play next to (linebackers) Quez Jackson, Charlie Thomas, David Curry, all them,” Domineck said Wednesday. “When they moved me to defensive end, I can honestly say that I didn’t really buy into the program as much as I should have.”
Not surprisingly, when Collins issued his initial “Above the Line” chart – identifying the players deemed ready to play – for Tech’s 2019 season opener against Clemson, Domineck was not one of the six defensive ends on the list.
He appeared in only one of Tech’s first six games. Domineck initially interpreted his lack of playing time as coaches not liking him. But he recognizes now his complicity, saying he was barely giving 60% effort at practice.
“Honestly, I could say I was a liability my first couple years, or my first year, while I was below the line,” Domineck said. “And I honestly can understand why they kept me below the line. Because if you can’t run your assignments properly, you can’t play your technique well, then you’re just not going to play.”
Domineck said he was humbled, coming to realize that he was no longer “that dude” that he was in high school.
“And from there, it was just me working as hard as I possibly could to be ‘Above the Line,’” he said.
In Collins’ memory, Domineck had a habit of giving “ridiculous effort” for a couple of days and then easing off the gas for four or five days. But coaches, namely Coleman, worked with him through that season, and he made the ATL list for the final four games of the season and started the final three.
In the 2020 season, the production continued. He finished the season with a 15.2% pressure rate, according to ESPN, which was eighth among all power-conference players.
Domineck’s power and explosiveness, evident in his ability to stop ball carriers cold, are surpassing qualities. But his effort is its own impressive skill. It isn’t uncommon to see Domineck running past teammates to try to make plays.
The fumble return against Kennesaw State not only was a product of Domineck’s quickness off the snap, long reach and uncommon speed for someone who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, but also stemmed from him staying after practice that week to work specifically on defending the option pitch. Collins hailed him after the game for developing and applying a process for preparing for games.
“That’s why that play happened,” Collins said.
Another part of his routine is his collaboration with left tackle Devin Cochran, a frequent practice sparring partner. After practice, the two critique their reps against each other.
“We’ll be going over moves where we beat each other during the practice, talking about, OK, well, this is what you did here, this is what you showed me,” said Cochran, who arrived at Tech as a grad transfer after starting for three seasons at Vanderbilt. “And it’s crazy – I’ve never been in an environment where it’s complete iron sharpening iron. It’s symbiotic the way that we have an approach to it.”
They also watch game video of opponents with the other linemen, the offensive linemen studying the opposing offensive linemen to look for tendencies, and vice versa.
“To be able to pick each other’s brain is extremely helpful,” Domineck said.
Domineck said Wednesday that he had noticed a few tendencies from Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagelelei, “as I’m sure he has noticed a few tendencies about our defense, as well.”
Looking forward, though, it’s not difficult to envision Domineck, who is a sophomore eligibility-wise, becoming the game-changing edge rusher that Tech has long needed.
“He can do whatever he wants to do in this game,” Collins said.
