Pine Creek’s JoJo Domann. (Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com)
COLORADO SPRINGS — JoJo Domann has been the talk of Class 4A football in Colorado since he put on a show to help the Pine Creek Eagles win a second-straight state title last year.
Over the summer, it was clear that his services were in high demand from several top college teams around the country. After the process was over, he chose Nebraska.
Now, the senior safety and wide receiver is trying to help his team go for the three-peat. He took time to sit down and talk about his time with the Eagles and what’s in store for his future in Lincoln, Neb.
Question: Pine Creek is in the third year of a greatly successful run. Are you in a situation where the playoffs are becoming too familiar or too routine, having to prepare for a one-or-done scenario every week?
JoJo Domann: I mean, yes and no. Obviously, because we’ve been in this position before, we’re not used it to being one-and-done. We’re used to playing all four games. At the same time, we constantly remind ourselves and our coaches constantly remind us that we don’t have four games guaranteed. We have one game guaranteed. If we win that one, we get one more guaranteed.
Q: Of the three playoff runs you’ve had now with Pine Creek, which of those teams was the best?
(Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)
Domann: (Long pause) I couldn’t tell you who’s the best. But 2013 we had so many weapons on offense and we were senior-loaded. With 2014, last year, I think our defense was just unbelievable and we just made plays on offense. This year, time will tell, but our defense is holding up pretty good and our offense has been making plays lately.
I can’t give you that answer until this season is over.
Q: From last year, you guys lost seniors Josh Odom, Tommy Lazzaro and Avery Anderson so some people thought this would be the year you wouldn’t perform as well as you had the previous two seasons, but you haven’t missed a step. Why is that?
Domann: The way the program is built. We have sophomores and juniors and even freshman that after this season, and (the seniors) are gone, won’t miss a beat. We have some talented kids. That’s how it was two years ago, that’s how it was last year.
We have kids that understand that they didn’t do anything two years ago. We have seniors that didn’t touch the field two years ago. They didn’t do anything last year. My brother, even. He was the back up quarterback, but he beat Vista Ridge. It was No. 1 Pine Creek vs. No. 4 Vista Ridge last year and we came in and smoked them.
He wants one for himself; the whole squad does. For the guys that have done it like myself and a bunch of the other seniors, we want another one. We don’t want to go out without a ring from this year.
Q: When the playoff bracket first came out, was there a team that you really wanted to see and maybe a team that you didn’t want to see?
Domann: I don’t think there was a team that we didn’t want to see. But we wanted to see Vista (Ridge) in the semis. At the same time, our coaches harped it into us that we had Thompson Valley first. I know Vista Ridge was looking forward to that semifinal matchup, and maybe a little too much because now they’re at home watching us play on Saturday.
But like I said, it is game-by-game and if we slip up, if we throw a pick or have some kind of lapse, we could be on the couch watching other teams play.
Q: You talked earlier about how your defense had been holding up and your offense has been making plays. You’re on both sides of the ball. Which side do you enjoy more?
Domann: I enjoy them both. I mean, defense you get to hit people and it’s kind of my forte that I’ve been recruited for and that’s where I’ll play in college. With our defense, they’ve been throwing away from me and with our front seven on run plays, I honestly don’t get as many opportunities as I got last year just because we’re so solid up front.
And on offense, I take what the defense gives me and try to score touchdowns and do what’s asked of me by Coach (Todd) Miller. I love them both. I really do. It’s going to suck in college having to only play one way.
Q: Does your brother help you enjoy playing on the offensive side of the ball?
Domann: Definitely. We have just talk about things the whole week up to the game: “What’s going to be open?” “Are you going to be here on this play?” All the little details. So during the game, I’m out at wide receiver and they give us this coverage and this play is called and Brock and I just look at each other and it’s like, “Man, we talked about this over dinner two nights ago.”
It helps a lot to make it comfortable. I go in and out of the offense, but to have someone there who trusts me with the ball, it makes things comfortable.
Q: Do your parents get sick of you guys talking football all the time?
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Domann: My mom (does). My dad is talking with us. And when my sister is home, we actually have to force ourselves to change the subject and not talk about football.
Q: So what do you talk about?
Domann: My sister is in theater, so we talk about theater. And then it ends up just going back to football. It’s pretty much football 24/7.
Q: You’ve played basketball through high school as well, are you planning on playing this year?
Domann: Funny you ask. I just talked to Coach (Joe) Rausch last weekend. I told him I would let him know the Monday after the state championship (Dec. 7).
Q: What would keep you from playing?
Domann: Just my health. Because I’m playing in two All-American games, I need to get my ankle right and even right now, I’ve made so much progress with it, but it’s still not 100 percent.
So if my ankle in the next three weeks gets better and I can feel like I can go and give it 100 percent, because I won’t give anything less than that, then I’ll do it. But if not, if it gets dinged up in the next couple of weeks, I’ll probably take time off and get ready for the Semper Fi and then the U.S.A. vs. Canada (All-American games).
Q: Between you, Avery Anderson and Paul Tillotson up at Lewis-Palmer (for baseball), why is Nebraska able to come into this state and pluck so many in-state guys away?
Domann: I actually played basketball with Paul! Fifth grade through seventh grade, we were on a team called the Warriors, so I know Paul pretty well. I think it’s just the vibe that the university gives off. Everyone cares. It’s a family thing in that no matter what sport you’re in, they support you. To a Nebraska alum, you’re cool.
Then when you go there, the vibe doesn’t change. It’s the same thing.
Q: Why can’t the in-state coaches keep the in-state kids?
Domann: I don’t think it’s a particular set thing. But for me, I chose Nebraska because I felt most comfortable there. CU is my No. 2. I love Boulder. I think it would be a great place to live. I like the coaching staff up there a lot. But I could say the same thing about Lincoln on top of what I want to major in. On top of the winning tradition. On top of all the other stuff that are the reason I picked to go there. I don’t think there’s a particular reason they don’t get (the in-state) kids.
Q: How hard will it be for you when you play CU to come back here and play that game?
Domann: You saw Christian McCaffrey do it and he balled out. Hopefully I’ll do the same. I’ll try to get tickets for the family and get as many people up as I can, but that’ll be fun. I’m looking forward to that.
Pine Creek safety JoJo Domann surveys the field during the Eagles’ 35-13 win over Falcon. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)