On The Run – McCulley Braces for Receiving Role
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Receiving reality hit hard.
Donaven McCulley was ready.
Coaching demands came fast.
McCulley was ready.
Six months of acclimating to what playing receiver rather than quarterback really meant boiled down to this for the Indiana sophomore:
Run.
Receivers coach Adam Henry made that clear.
“You learn you're not just dropping back (a few steps),” Henry says. “You're running and you're running.
“As a receiver, you have to run and then you've got to run some more. Then you run, then you run some more. When you're tired, you've got to run and run some more. And then when you think you're tired you've got to keep running.
“It's one of those things you have to keep doing over and over and you have to train yourself for it.”
McCulley has.
“When I first went to wide receiver,” McCulley says, “it was weird running routes because I wasn't used to it. But working with Coach Henry every day is getting easier. I need to work on getting in and out of my routes, but I'm getting better. That was the biggest thing for me.”
By now you know the transition-from-quarterback story.
McCulley arrived as the highest-rated high school quarterback IU had ever signed. But he didn’t get to campus until last June, and wasn’t ready when injuries forced him into action last fall.
Yes, he set an IU freshman record with 242 passing yards in his starting debut against Maryland, but finished the season just 35-for-85 for 475 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 135 yards and two TDs.
“Coming to college and playing quarterback,” McCulley says, “it didn't go so well the first year, but it is what it is.”
McCulley did a lot of soul searching. He wanted to play, wanted to succeed, and wanted to do what he’d always wanted to do before his quarterback talent -- he threw for 6,211 yards and totaled 47 touchdowns in an all-state career at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis -- had him running the offensive show.
Play receiver.
“That’s what I’ve always seen myself as,” he says. “In high school, I had to play quarterback. That’s what I did.”
In college, quarterback necessity disappeared with veterans Jack Tuttle, Connor Bazelak and Dexter Williams II around. McCulley saw receiving opportunity, and took it, starting by talking to head coach Tom Allen.
“When I went to talk to Coach Allen about the decision, he wanted to know why. I told him why and he was onboard with it.”
With IU’s season-opener against Illinois (1-0) set for Friday night, the 6-5, 210-pound McCulley is absorbing all the receiving wisdom he can get from Henry, whose quarter-century coaching career includes developing NFL Pro-Bowl receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Anquan Boldin, Jarvis Landry, and Zach Miller.
“I'm pleased where he's at,” Henry says. “Again, it's all new for him.
“He’s a big body. He's very athletic. He has a good catch radius where you can put it up and he can go get it.
“It's the little details that he's learning. He knows the conceptual thought process of the routes and what to do, but it's the little things in getting open. You can't always use your body because you're bigger than everyone to get open. And at times, you have to beat them with your feet instead of your body.
“He's progressing steadily. He'll ask questions. He has a tremendous ceiling. With a body like that, he can make plays.”
McCulley says playing quarterback helps him as a receiver.
“When the quarterback scrambles, I know where he wants to throw the ball, so it makes it pretty easy.”
The goal is clear -- make plays.
“I try to get in (the quarterbacks’) ears and see what they want me to do,” McCulley says. “At the end of the day, they're throwing the ball, so I try to do what they want me to and see if I can get open easier for them.”
McCulley’s improvement is obvious, Bazelak says.
“He’s made a big jump. In the spring, he was a little bit hesitant, but he was still learning the playbook, still learning how to play a whole new position he’d never played.
“Now, he's willing to go in there and block and do the dirty work. That shows up in the film.
“He's getting the playbook down, learning how to run routes, learning the little nuances to play receiver in the Big Ten. I’m really excited about him and what he brings to the offense.”
McCulley is part of a youthful group of receivers. After veteran D.J. Matthews Jr., there’s limited Hoosier experience, but plenty of potential.
Emery Simmons -- whose fierce work ethic once had him getting up at 4:30 a.m. to work out with his father before high school workouts -- transferred from North Carolina. He had once committed to IU before settling on the Tar Heels. In 30 college games, he’s caught 30 passes for 516 yards and three touchdowns.
Now that he’s finally a Hoosier, Allen says, “We loved him in the beginning and are excited to get him.”
Adds Tuttle: “What’s stood out to me is that dude is freaking tough. Mentally tough. Physically tough. He’s a grinder. He’ll be in the film room for hours. It’s unreal.
“I’m super stoked that he’s here. He will do a great job.”
Bazelak is just as optimistic.
“He wants to be great. That’s the first thing I saw about him. He’s tough. He catches well. He’s fast. He’s everything you want in a receiver. He’s a great teammate and leader.
Then there’s Cam Camper, an up-and-coming junior college transfer with a strong upside.
“He’s got a huge chip on his shoulder,” Allen says. “He has in his mind a lot to prove. I love how he practices. He’s a tough guy. He’s got good length to him and can run. He can be effective as a ball carrier. He runs good routes, gets open. The thing that stands out to me is his work ethic and how much he loves studying the game.”
Henry shares that love.
“He's the one we call 'Coach Cam' because he's always around the offices, always trying to learn the offense and all the intricate details.
“He doesn't say much. He just shows up, and goes to work. He works hard. If he has questions, he'll ask.
“I'm very pleased. He made a great catch in one-on-ones the other day. Two days ago, a one-handed catch. He’s progressing and continuing to get better.
“He had a couple good blocks in practice. Sticking his face in there, blocking with his hands and being violent. He can play receiver but he's also a good blocker.”