Deland McCullough is Not Ready to Name Starting Running Back

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Written by Matt Smith

Deland McCullough is back for his second stint with the Hoosiers after a stint in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs as their running backs coach. McCullough’s first task as running back coach for IU is replacing Stevie Scott who was the starting running back last year and took most of the carries.

“Right now, I am preparing all these guys to be the starter,” McCullough said in a press conference on Tuesday. “I am big on making the whole room strong. I think that all the guys and the coaches see how I am trying to fortify every skill of every guy in the room to make us a championship team. We have to have depth there.”

McCullough is very happy with how hard his players have been working and practicing during the spring practices.

“They have really bought into what I have brought to the table as it relates to some different things as far as reads, eye discipline, and a different way of doing things. I am trying to get the guys to not only be the best version of themselves, but to help us become Big Ten champions,” said McCullough.

Tim Baldwin is one of the running backs that people expect to gain more touches with the departure of Scott.

“He looks good, moving around well, picking up everything we are talking about as far as the reads and some of the finer points of running back play to make him the dynamic guy that he wants to be,”said McCullough.

According to McCullough the running backs have been making it a very difficult decision to name a starter for the fall. In order to make the decision, McCullough will take into account summer workouts as well as practices in training camp in the fall.

David Ellis was moved to running back last year after coming in as a wide receiver for the Hoosiers. Ellis is another back that is looking for more touches during the season whether it is catching passes out of the backfield or running the ball.

“I’ve been very impressed with David Ellis, when I watched IU last year, I saw him getting time with Stevie (Scott). With the little bit I could see glancing back and forth, I was impressed with what he brings to the table,” said McCullough. 

Charlie Spegal was a new name to the running backs room last season as a walk-on player. The former Indiana Mr.Football has impressed McCullough so far in the spring season.

“Everyday he does something that pops out to you. He’s studying himself, he’s taking coaching. His level of urgency has increased...over the last couple of weeks,” said McCullough. 

After his stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, McCullough is coming in building his running back room with everything that he learned in the NFL in his mind. According to McCullough it takes everyone in the room to make it great.

“You build a room from the bottom up, you get all of these complementary pieces strong and obviously as you’re doing that you’re raising the level of your upper talented guys,” said McCullough. “That’s when you are getting what you want.”

Former four-star running back Sampson James is also in the mix and was one of the first calls McCullough made when he got the IU job.

“Sampson (James) was one of the first guys i talked to when i got the job,” McCullough said, “you know and just just hearing him be honest about where he is and what he wants to do and being so open to some of the things. i just told him a couple things as far as you know what i would bring to the table as far as some of the reads and different things like that that i'm pretty, you know got a pretty good reputation for as far as making it easy for guys and then giving them applicable drills that transfer over to 11-11 football. So just getting his buy-in as one of the leaders of the group helped and then obviously he's been in a position to sit back and see those things he was a little bit more. He was involved more as a participant today in practice and did some good things. Sampson is a leader in our room knows knows what's going on obviously we got a couple new wrinkles that we've added to the mix he's picking those up he's like another coach out there at the time you know when he's not practicing he's very involved and very vocal as far as keeping guys on their toes and staying right there on my hip and saying what he's supposed to be doing so just excited for him. i mean i think he he sees a light bulb going off and some things that we're doing.”

All of these running backs will continue to compete during the three remaining spring practices as well as the summer workouts.