Michigan first in for Doles
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Watching fellow teammate and classmate Drake Harris make his college selection at a Wednesday press conference, Grand Rapids (Mich.) Christian class of 2014 offensive tackle Tommy Doles knew that day would come for him too, but not yet.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Doles has no plans to make his commitment anytime soon, but his process is well under way after a recent offer from Michigan.
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"I was excited about that," Doles said. "I talked to them before when I was at their camp and they've shown interest, then I got that call."
Doles earned the offer after working out with the Michigan coaches at their summer camp earlier this month. He is being recruited by the Wolverines as an offensive tackle.
"Coach [Darrell] Funk, the offensive line coach, is a great coach, gave great instruction and knows what he is talking about," Doles said. "They said they liked the way I worked, but will see how I grow and develop."
Camps at other Midwest BCS schools also produced positive feedback, and on Wednesday night he was reflecting on his most recent camp at Notre Dame.
"I just got back today and that was a great camp too," Doles said. "There was great instruction and a lot of fun. I've seen the campus before, a few years back and it is just beautiful. The community of faith there, that is an important thing to me."
Doles started the recent stretch of BCS camps with a stop at Michigan State, the school his teammate, Harris, announced for on Wednesday.
"Coach [Mark] Staten is a great coach and he was working with me," Doles said. "They said they liked working with me, but said we'll see how things go."
Doles father attended Drake University in Iowa and his mother is a graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, so the rising junior said he does not have any allegiances to particular Division I programs. He does have a unique interest that could play into his college decision, however.
"I am interested in the military academies as well," Doles said. "They are all amazing schools and it is such a great future graduating as an officer into the U.S. Military. I am pretty patriotic too and I just think that would be a great career."
For now, though, Doles is in the feeling-out stage; taking in the sudden surge of interest from college programs and methodically checking out what each school has to offer.
"I haven't been overwhelmed," Doles said. "I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with academics yet, but once I figure that out that will be a huge factor in seeing where I want to be.
"My coach, Don Fellows, has been great at handling this. He can help us get recruited and talk to coaches. It's been a good process."