Tom Coleman was born in Savannah, Georgia, on September 8, 1928. He was a graduate of Benedictine Military School. Coleman received his bachelor's degree from Georgia Institute of Technology where he was captain of the football team. After graduation, Coleman stayed on at Georgia Tech as a physics teacher and football coach. Coleman enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as an infantry captain during the Korean conflict and, in later years, the U.S. Army Reserve.