Family Led Former BYU OC Brandon Doman Back To Sidelines At Pleasant Grove High

RIVERTON – BYU great Brandon Doman is back on the sidelines once again. This time he’s now coaching in the high school ranks at Pleasant Grove High School.

It’s difficult to recognize many faces with everyone wearing masks. But Doman has been a familiar face and name for decades in the state of Utah. From being a state champion QB at Skyline High in the 90s, a historic senior season at BYU in 2001, to QB coach and offensive coordinator with his alma mater. Doman has seen it all in this state.

After seven years removed from coaching, Doman, a former NFL quarterback, got the itch again to go back on the sidelines to be with his sons and give back to a community he’s been part of for over a decade.

Former #BYU great Brandon Doman called plays for Pleasant Grove High School. The first time since 2012 Doman has been on a sideline.

Why did the former #BYU OC come back to coaching? Family.

➡️: https://t.co/R6gQQ3vrnS@VikingRecruiti1 #BYUFootball #KSLGameNight pic.twitter.com/o7CPWeX4nA

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 15, 2020

“This is about my boys and being able to be around them and drive to these games, go to practice,” said Doman. “I’m grateful that I have the ability at (my) work to be able to spend some time doing this. I love Pleasant Grove. We’ve been here for almost 11 years and we love the community and my boys love Coach Wooten. I love being in the program. So, I just wanted to be around them. They invited me to do it and coach Wooten asked if I’d be willing to help with the offense and slowly, slowly helping with the offense … next thing you know I’m calling the plays on Friday night.”

Early returns on Doman’s comeback to coaching were positive as Pleasant Grove buried Riverton by a score of 35-7. The Vikings offense is led by heralded tight end recruit Isaac Vaha. A versatile prospect who also plays defensive end. Vaha is one of the top tight ends in the state this year with BYU, Utah, Penn State, Oregon, and others currently pursuing him.

Doman’s multiple Viking offense featured a trio of surprise additions at the skill positions in Darrius Clemons and Aaron Jones. Clemons hauled in a 58-yard touchdown reception from fellow transfer Sam Leavitt at quarterback to get the scoring started for the Vikings. The four-star wide receiver then had a 77-yard TD grab in the third quarter to put Pleasant Grove up 35-0 early in the third.

Pleasant Grove's Isaac Vaha is as good as advertised at TE/DE. Whoever lands him is getting a star. A "pleasant" surprise on the Vikings roster tonight was seeing four-star WR Darrius Clemons. Had a big TD grab against Riverton. One of the top receivers in the state.

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 15, 2020

“We have about seven or eight guys that we can mix around through there and get into a lot of different formations, run the football, throw the football and so I think it’s going to be tough to defend,” Doman said. “We just happen to be a senior-laden team with some young guys that fit in beautifully. It was obviously nice to have Darrius come down, Aaron Jones came with him and Sam Leavitt came down with them and we’re just happy to have them. Our community has wrapped their arms around them and I hope that they have such a positive experience in Utah that they stick around for a long time.”

Nothing is guaranteed the rest of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Doman is enjoying the opportunity to be back on the sidelines and doing it with his boys.

“We were driving here and they put on some good 80s and early 90s rock and we just were so excited to be coming out here and then halftime walking out and the lights were on, on a Friday night. So grateful that we get to play. It’s been such a weird six months for the boys and for everybody, so to come out and play football, it was well deserved and a heck of a night.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.