Football
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Offensive Line
Mark Tommerdahl enters his third season as Texas Tech’s associate head coach as he oversees the Red Raider special teams units. He previously assisted with the offensive line for his first two seasons on staff but will concentrate solely on special teams beginning with the 2021 campaign.
Tommerdahl, who arrived in Lubbock after spending the 2018 season at Purdue, brings an extensive background at the collegiate level with more than 30 years of experience, including 25 as a special teams coordinator. His previous stops include the likes of TCU (1998-00), Alabama (2001-02), Texas A&M (2003-07) and California (2013-16) among others.
This is Tommerdahl’s second stint working under head coach Matt Wells as he was previously the special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Utah State in 2017. The Aggies played in the Arizona Bowl during his lone season, one of 15 postseason appearances for Tommerdahl over his career, which also includes six conference championships.
Tommerdahl’s experience paid dividends for the Red Raiders during his debut season in 2019 as he took over a special teams room that had its starting place kicker, punter and deep snapper from the previous year all graduate. He turned to three freshmen to fill those roles, namely place kicker Trey Wolff and punter Austin McNamara, who turned in two of the best seasons in program history.
McNamara was tabbed a Freshman All-American by the likes of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Pro Football Focus and The Athletic after averaging a booming 45.0 yards per punt to lead all freshmen nationally. His clip helped Tech rank fourth in the FBS for net punting as the Red Raiders gained 42.5 yards per punt.
In addition, McNamara’s average marked the highest mark among Tech freshmen punters in school history and ranked fourth all-time in the single-season almanac. He was also the first Tech punter all-time to garner All-Big 12 first team accolades and the first freshman to do so since Michael Crabtree in 2007. He earned first-team honors again as a sophomore in 2020, becoming just the seventh Red Raider all-time to be recognized by the conference coaches in consecutive seasons.
For as strong of a year McNamara had as a freshman, he was even better as a sophomore. McNamara averaged a booming 46.3 yards per punt in 2020, which easily led the Big 12 and ranked fifth among FBS punters. Additionally, it was the second-highest season average in program history, placing McNamara in an exclusive category as the only punter with two of the top-five years marks as a Red Raider.
The highlight of McNamara’s season came midway through the year against West Virginia where he launched an 87-yard punt, essentially flipping the field at a critical moment for the Red Raiders. It set the Tech and Big 12 single-game records for the longest punt in history and followed a 74-yard attempt earlier in the game. The previous Tech record was set roughly 75 years earlier when R.W. Moyers booted an 85-yard punt versus West Texas State.
Wolff, meanwhile, provided a reliable leg as Tech’s primary place kicker and kickoff specialist in 2019 as he finished an impressive 20-of-22 on field goal attempts to rank seventh in the FBS in field goal percentage. Wolff, who collected honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades, closed the year with the most successful field goals by a freshman kicker all-time and the second-highest total in school history. He also ranked 14th nationally in field goals per game and 27th in points scored per game.
The Red Raiders have been aggressive on special teams under Tommerdahl with seven blocked kicks during his two seasons, which ranks tied for second among FBS programs during that span. The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in the category and trail only Army by one entering the 2021 season. Tech has ranked among the top-15 nationally both seasons in blocked kicks, finishing tied for 14th in 2019 and then tied for fourth in 2020.
Zech McPhearson was involved in three of Tech’s blocked kicks over his career as he got his hands on two in 2019 and then returned another 90 yards for a touchdown in 2020. McPhearson, a fourth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2021 NFL Draft, became only the second Red Raider since 2000 to knock down multiple kicks in a season, joining current NFL defensive lineman Kerry Hyder from 2013.
Tommerdahl’s special teams units played a significant role in Purdue’s success in 2018 as well, namely in the return game with true freshman Rondale Moore, the 2018 recipient for the Paul Hornung Award that is presented to the nation’s most versatile player. Moore was also the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a first team all-conference pick.
Moore, a standout in the return game and through the air, snapped the Purdue single-season record for all-purpose yards and ranked fourth nationally in the category en route to joining the likes of Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Odell Beckham Jr. as Paul Hornung Award winners. He combined for 744 yards on kick returns alone.
In Tommerdahl's lone season at Utah State, the Aggies led the Mountain West and ranked fourth nationally with four blocked punts, their most since the 2012 campaign. Utah State was also among the top-25 teams nationally for kick return defense, finishing 21st in the FBS after allowing only 18.1 yards per return.
Wells added Tommerdahl to his Utah State staff after four seasons at California, the final two of which were spent as the assistant head coach. Tommerdahl coordinated the special teams efforts throughout his tenure in Berkeley and also worked with Cal’s tight ends and fullbacks in 2014 and its wide receivers in 2013.
The Golden Bears led the Pac-12 and ranked 14th nationally in kick return defense during Tommerdahl’s final season after limiting opponents to only 18.0 yards per return. Dylan Kiumph was also among the nation’s top punters that year after closing the 2016 campaign ranked eighth in the FBS with a 44.8 yards per punt average.
That same season, kicker Matt Anderson broke the Cal school record with 117 points on his way to being named a semifinalist for the prestigious Lou Groza Award. Anderson matched the school record with 22 field goals, including a record-tying five against UCLA. He connected on 84.6 percent of his field goal attempts, finding the uprights on 22 of his 26 kicks.
Cal blocked three punts during the 2015 season en route to an 8-5 record, its first eight-win season since 2009. The Golden Bears, who ranked second nationally in blocked punts as well as punt returns allowed (6) and punt return yards allowed (62), ended the season with a 55-36 victory over Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, their first bowl win since 2008. It was Cal’s first postseason appearance since 2011.
Trevor Davis became one of the most explosive players in the country under Tommerdahl’s guidance in 2014, earning first team All-Pac 12 honors after averaging a school record 32.6 yards per kick return. Davis, who ranked second nationally for kick return average, became only the 20th player in FBS history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in a game as he found the end zone from 100 and 98 yards out at Washington State.
Prior to his arrival at Cal, Tommerdahl coached one of the top punters in NCAA history at Louisiana Tech in two-time Ray Guy Award winner Ryan Allen, who became the first player to claim the accolade in consecutive seasons (2011-12) and only the second two-time recipient. Allen, now a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, earned first team All-America honors both of those seasons, including unanimous recognition in 2012.
Tommerdahl also mentored tight end Dennis Morris to All-America honors during his first season in 2009. Morris garnered third team accolades by College Football News and was an honorable mention pick by Sports Illustrated after hauling in 38 passes for 623 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 12 receiving touchdowns led all tight ends nationally that year.
Tommerdahl moved to Louisiana Tech from cross-state program Louisiana-Monroe in 2008 where he stayed one season as the assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. Before that, he spent five seasons at then-Big 12 rival Texas A&M where he also oversaw the Aggies’ special teams and tight ends.
Ten-year NFL veteran Martellus Bennett developed into a NFL Draft second round selection while with the Aggies as he ended his career as the program’s all-time leader for both receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. Bennett and punter Justin Brantly both earned Freshman All-America accolades in 2005 under Tommerdahl, who was part of three bowl trips during his Texas A&M tenure.
Tommerdahl was also the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in similar stops at Alabama, TCU, New Mexico (1997) and Minnesota (1995-96). Alabama claimed the 2002 SEC West Division title during his final season in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide closed the year at No. 11 in the final Associated Press poll. TCU, meanwhile, won a pair of WAC titles over the 1999-2000 seasons, both of which ended in trips to the Mobile Bowl.
A native of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Tommerdahl began his coaching career in 1984 as a graduate assistant at Wyoming. He spent a total of 11 seasons in various capacities with the Cowboys, helping Wyoming to four bowl appearances and three WAC titles during that time.
Tommerdahl earned his bachelor’s degree in business and physical education from Concordia College in Minnesota and a MBA with an emphasis in marketing from Wyoming in 1986. He is married to the former Annette Jondahl, who holds a doctorate degree in counseling education with an emphasis in university administration.
MARK TOMMERDAHL COACHING EXPERIENCE
2019-Present – Texas Tech Associate Head Coach (Special Teams/Assistant Offensive Line)
2018 – Purdue Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
2017 – Utah State Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Running Backs)
2015-16 – Cal Assistant Head Coach (Special Teams)
2014 – Cal Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends/Fullbacks)
2013 – Cal Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Wide Receivers)
2010-12 – Louisiana Tech Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Wide Receivers)
2009 – Louisiana Tech Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
2008 – Louisiana-Monroe Assistant Head Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
2003-07 – Texas A&M Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
2001-02 – Alabama Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
1998-00 – TCU Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
1997 – New Mexico Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends)
1995-96 – Minnesota Assistant Coach (Special Teams/Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator)
1991-94 – Wyoming Assistant Coach (Backfield)
1990 – Wyoming Offensive Coordinator (Tight Ends)
1987-89 – Wyoming Assistant Coach (Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator)
1986 – Wyoming Recruiting Coordinator
1984-85 – Wyoming Graduate Assistant
