Deland McCullough’s NFL Ties Will Help the Hoosiers on and off the Field

Written by Evan Orris

What’s the old saying? If you love something so much set it free, and if they come back then it’s meant to be? This saying seems to stay true for the Indiana Hoosiers. As former running backs coach Deland McCullough returns to the Hoosiers following stints with USC and the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.

In his first stint in Bloomington, McCullough helped catapult the Indiana run game. McCullough coached three 1,000-yard rushers. Two of which were Jordan Howard and Tevin Coleman, who are now in the NFL thanks in part to his coaching.

Last season, the Hoosiers struggled in the ground game and only averaged 3.3 yards per carry. The running backs were constantly being stopped behind the line of scrimmage and did not have much room to run. Oftentimes, the Hoosiers relied on Stevie Scott to plow through the defensive line and pick up yards. But Scott only averaged 3.6 yards per carry and the Hoosiers often faced too many third-and-longs as a result.

Next season should differ. With Scott declaring for the NFL, and the return of McCullough, the Hoosiers offense will look to utilize all of their running backs and their skillsets.

“Obviously, you know, I'll come in I'll have ideas of things that places where I've been that's been successful. But more than willing once I get into what those guys that's, that's what we're gonna mix it up.” McCullough said. “Because everywhere I've been you know, obviously including here these last few years working with you know, Le’Veon bell and LeSean McCoy, Kareem Hunt and all those guys, when you come in and give these guys a definite plan and definite eye discipline and definite things that they look at, it's it changes everything in your run game. It changes everything in your run game.”

The reunion with McCullough will not only impact the Hoosiers on the field but also with recruiting. As shown before, McCullough loves to stress his connections to the elite backs in the NFL and is looking to use that to his advantage.

“The beautiful thing about recruiting with for me in addition to some of the things we you know, does as far as my resume is concerned, is the guys and those relationships.” McCullough said in regard to being able to add talent to the Hoosiers backfield.  

“Every single one of my guys that I've coached all of them, and definitely the last gasp in the last three years all of them say the same thing. Coach, you don't kill it. In any of them. Guys, you talk to who want to know about good old codes DMC? Call us facetimes. So, I want to talk to LeSean McCoy's might want to talk to Le’Veon Bell might have talked to Kareem I want to talk with Darrell, with Damian Williams Clyde Edwards-Helaire. I got those guys; you know on speed dial and they're gonna be willing to fill in the blank. So, you know, that's, that's gonna be exciting going out to talk about that.”

McCullough brings a whole lot of toughness and swagger to a program that has no shortage of that in their arsenal. Energetic head coach Tom Allen is ecstatic for McCullough’s return and even offered him an extended role to show his appreciation and support.

“I have so much respect for him as a man, as a football coach, a leader of the running back room, a leader of his family, and I think he is a complete fit with who we are here. Allen said. “He was a big part of this place when he was here before and the role that he played as running backs coach. I am excited to bring him back in an expanded role as associate head coach, which is not just a title in our program. It is a spot that has a lot of responsibilities to really impact this team.”