Donaven McCulley emerging as ‘huge weapon’ for Indiana football offense

The Indiana football program may have found its go-to option at wide receiver in Saturday’s 20-14 win over Wisconsin as Donaven McCulley continues to emerge as a true threat for the Indiana offense.

McCulley, who made the switch from quarterback to wide receiver two years ago, has now really started to hit his stride at the position. He’s always been an athletic player who was extremely versatile. Now, he’s showing that consistently by making big time plays for Indiana.

“Now, I’m a real wide receiver who is athletic,” McCulley said. ” … I’ve always felt like, ‘Go out there every play and just tell yourself you’re unguardable’. Just try to impose your will. I’m 6-foot-5, 210 (pounds) and I feel like I need to impose my will on almost every play. That’s a big thing for me, just being a dawg.”

Those playmaking abilities were on full display Saturday. He started with a 32-yard catch and run that showed his IQ. Following the catch, McCulley fell to the ground but landed on a defender, keep him off the ground. He jumped up immediately and took off, getting Indiana into Wisconsin territory.

The second major play came just four plays later when the 6-foot-5 wideout had a one-handed touchdown grab in the back corner of the end zone. It gave Indiana a 17-7 lead, its largest of the game.

“I was pretty amazed, I’m glad he did (catch it),” Indiana football quarterback Brendan Sorsby said of McCulley’s highlight grab. “Makes me look a lot better. It’s easy to throw it up to a guy  that big and makes that catch.”

“That’s practice. Every day in practice, after practice and off days, too,” McCulley said. “Me and Sorsby get in on off days and throw a lot of red zone routes … that’s just all practice and all offseason.”

He finished with five receptions for 67 yards and that seven yard touchdown.

Coming into this season, the message to McCulley was all about being consistent and emerging as a threat for this Indiana offense. His size, athletic ability, quickness and footwork has given him a great bag of tools to work with. While he showed flashes of what he could be last season, this was his year to shine.

He’s answered the call. Through nine games this year, McCulley leads Indiana in receptions (29), receiving yards (387) and receiving touchdowns (3).

“D Mac to me is a guy I’ve always challenged.,” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said postgame. “I’ve always felt like that he was a guy that should have the mindset that ‘they just can’t guard me. If the ball is anywhere near me, I’ll going to come down with it. They’re going to have to grab me, hold me, interfere with me in order to make a play.’

“If that continues, it becomes very dangerous. You have the chance to come down with a ball if you seek and do that, but also a chance to create a penalty, which gives us first downs in that situation. Huge weapon for us. Continues to develop and continues to elevate his play.”

After having zero games last year with more than three receptions, he’s totaled five such games this season. He also only had one game of 30+ yards last season. This year, he has five.

The message from the coaching staff is simple. Just keep making plays and being the weapon he’s turned into.

“Just keep making those plays because we’re going to need him down the stretch here,” Allen said. “Proud of D Mac. He’s coming into his own and he’s playing the way I expect he should.”