Tommy Fraumann’s life changed right before his sophomore season.
Born and raised in the heart of Michigan Wolverines territory, Fraumann played on the freshman team at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor. Then his family moved to Wilmette, where he enrolled at Loyola.
“It was a big step, moving in general, but also to lose my old house and my old school,” he said. “It was opening a blank page of my life.
“This was in high school. I was nervous because I didn’t know anybody. I had to find friends. I wasn’t sure what was going to come. It was all a mystery.”
Fraumann has filled up his “blank page” with countless accomplishments on the football field. Last season, the 6-foot-8, 250-pounder became a starter at left tackle as a junior for Loyola’s Class 8A state championship team, and he committed to Miami of Ohio in the spring.
“He’s a kind of sky-is-the-limit guy because he’s so young and so tall,” Loyola assistant Mike Kotowski said. “He’s still growing. He’s starting to fill out. It will be interesting to see how big he can be with his frame.”
Fraumann just turned 17 on Sept. 10.
“We probably have juniors on our team who are older than Tommy,” Loyola coach Beau Desherow said. “He’s at the tip of the iceberg. He has so much potential. He’s 6-8, and his athleticism is off the charts. All of his speed numbers are really good. He also has good feet. I can’t imagine what he’s going to look like when he’s 21 years old. He’s got tremendous upside.”
Fraumann’s rapid ascent for the Ramblers (4-3), who will play Mount Carmel at home in the regular-season finale Friday, still amazes him.
“I think definitely it’s been like two lifetimes,” he said. “At Pioneer, I had dreams of playing college football. I thought I might not come anywhere near that. With the move in general, I was so encouraged and was coached up at Loyola. It made my dreams come true.”
Desherow said Fraumann made a strong impression in their first meeting.
“I noticed his size right away,” Desherow said. “He was very tall, and both of his parents were well over 6-foot tall.”
But Fraumann quickly figured out he would have to bide his time before becoming a varsity starter for the Ramblers, who have won five 8A state titles in the past 10 years, including the past three.
“I immediately found out football here is a different breed compared to what I experienced before,” he said. “I knew I had to put in a lot of work and effort.”
Fraumann spent his first few months adjusting to his new surroundings and playing on the sophomore team. But he got promoted to the varsity team for the playoff run.
Fraumann said he was surprised to be named a starter in Week 4 last season. He has been a mainstay in the starting lineup since then.
“I always thought the normal process of high school football is freshman, junior varsity and then starting by my senior season,” he said. “In my mind, I was totally expecting that. When I finally got my first start, it was my moment. I had to take it. Since then, I’ve been progressing.
“It’s been unbelievable to go from a third-stringer to a two-year starter. All the credit goes to my Loyola coaches.”
Loyola’s coaches point to Fraumann’s size and how he uses it.
“He moves well and is athletic and very long, which makes it hard for anyone to run around him,” Kotowski said. “He has a long reach.
“He’s a very tenacious blocker and a finisher. He’s not knocking people over, but he’s moving people a lot.”
Playing with Fraumann, Loyola senior right guard Henry Lemmon sees the same thing.
“This year, he has shown his pass protection to be super formidable,” Lemmon said. “He has a super physical punch, especially for someone with his height. He uses his length to his absolute advantage.”
Perhaps Fraumann’s success shouldn’t be surprising. His father, Bob Fraumann, is a former linebacker for Michigan, and his mother, Katie Fraumann, is a former power forward for Michigan.
“It’s been an impressive thing to see him develop mentally and come around to the mentality of an offensive lineman in Chicago from where he was at Pioneer,” Bob Fraumann said.
The oldest of three brothers, Tommy Fraumann said his parents’ experience has been invaluable to him.
“It’s amazing how fortunate I am to have my family to talk with,” he said. “Literally no matter what question I have, I can bring it to them. They showed me how much sacrifice you have to give for the sport you love.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.