What new Indiana RBs coach Deland McCullough said during his introductory press conference
Indiana has officially welcomed Deland McCullough back to Bloomington.
Monday, the Hoosiers announced that McCullough has been named the new running backs coach after spending the last three seasons in the same role with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a return for McCullough, who coached the RBs at IU from 2011-16 under then-head coach Kevin Wilson.
When previous running backs coach Mike Hart left Indiana for Michigan, McCullough reached out to head coach Tom Allen about the vacancy. Shortly after, the Hoosiers had found their next position coach.
McCullough is scheduled to make $515,000 in 2021 and will see a pay increase to $530,000 for the second year of his contract. On Tuesday, just one day after the news became official, McCullough spoke with the media about his return to Indiana.
Here’s what he had to say:
Deland McCullough says he sought out his return to IU. When he saw Mike Hart was leaving for Michigan, he texted Tom Allen.
"Everything just fit for me, coach Allen, the program, the direction it's headed in." #iubb
— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) February 9, 2021
"When I talk to people about my decision to come to Indiana, coach (Andy) Reid down the line … he started talking about Tom. I said, 'Do you know him?' He said, 'No, but I can see his energy.'" #iufb
— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) February 9, 2021
Deland McCullough said he had three other opportunities to come back to college, but they were purely as an RBs coach. Being an associate head coach was a big selling point coming to IU.
"That's the main attraction, other than coming back to IU." #iufb
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) February 9, 2021
Deland McCullough, again, says he's a conduit for the university, but it doesn't hurt having LeSean McCoy, Le'Veon Bell, etc., who can help back him up as a coach.
"I'm going to have those guys on speed dial and they are going to be willing to sell it." #iufb
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) February 9, 2021
McCullough: Beautiful thing about recruiting is the relationships. #iufb
— PaulGable (@PaulEGable) February 9, 2021
McCullough: main attraction outside of bigger picture of IU was associate head coach. Made no sense to come back just as rb coach. Opportunity to come back at IU as associate head coach was big to me. #iufb
— PaulGable (@PaulEGable) February 9, 2021
McCullough telling story about Coach Hep trying to talk him into playing safety.
"Never got a chance to play on that side of the ball." #iufb— PaulGable (@PaulEGable) February 9, 2021
McCullough: To me everything happens in God's timing and timing fit. Wanted to learn and warn respect and learning point was to come back to college. There's been opportunity to go back to college. IU was first I sought out. #iufb
— PaulGable (@PaulEGable) February 9, 2021
