True Freshman Dasan McCullough Set to Contribute in Year One

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Contributing as a freshman in the Big Ten is not an easy feat. Even players that come in as ballyhooed five-star prospects face a steep adjustment period. The physical tools of five-star prospects are rare though and those tools make that transition just a little bit easier. Dasan McCullough, a former five-star prospect that played at Bloomington South High School a season ago and stayed committed to IU even after his father’s (Deland McCullough) departure to Notre Dame, plans on doing more than just getting adjusted to college in 2022. He plans on being a part of a winning defense.

McCullough is a versatile player and there was a lot of speculation about where exactly he would play in Bloomington. Would he line up as a pass rush specialist? Would he be placed at linebacker next to someone like Cam Jones? Perhaps he’d even see snaps at Husky in certain situations? New IU defensive coordinator Chad Wilt spoke to the media on August 16 and elaborated on McCullough’s progress and IU’s plan for the talented freshman.

“He (Dasan McCullough) certainly is a talented young man. He’s a guy that we have high hopes for this year and in future,” Wilt said. “He’s really just shown, one, a willingness to work, he will embrace whatever role we give him. He just wants to play, wants to contribute wants to help this football team and he’s going to do that. We’re working to find ways to get him on the field, to put him in the best situations to use his skills and his talents without overloading him.”

Fans may have wondered what the plan was for McCullough but Tom Allen and Chad Wilt have worked together to figure out how to evolve the BULL position to better match the personnel they now have.

“There’s no doubt it’s something that we’ve really expanded. When I first got here, we called it by that same name but really recruited more of a defensive end guy in high school to play that position. Now, we’ve really transitioned into recruiting more of a linebacker guy to play that position. A longer, taller linebacker from high school.”

McCullough fits that mold and this evolved BULL position now appears to be a great fit for him. While speaking of the BULL spot, Wilt mentioned Alfred Bryant, incoming transfer Myles Jackson and Dasan McCullough as the primary people for that role.

“Dasan McCullough is also playing there in situational things, and I thin that’s a real strength of his. To the field now, he’s more of a boundary guy for us but to that kind of person to rush the passer, drop in coverage, play some man, do some different things with that and per the play call is where we’re looking for him. That’s where the linebacker part comes in with that ability to track the running back at times so it’s just different things that he does more than just a traditional defensive end,” Wilt said.

If you recruit players with elite skill sets, you must find ways to maximize those abilities and that is clearly the plan Chad Wilt has for McCullough. He finished his thoughts on McCullough with a wise reminder to fans: the transition is still steep and McCullough is still young.

“He is still a true freshman. And sometimes, those guys can get overwhelmed if you ask too much of them. So, right now we’re just trying to find those roles, those moments, the packages that fit him best and can allow him to play fast and do what he does because he has disruptive ability, that’s for sure. So, that’s where we are right now with him, but we’re excited about what he’s doing.”

McCullough is expected to be a part of the rotation at BULL and he should see the field along with the rest of the Hoosiers when IU opens the season against Illinois on September 2.