Nebraska Linebacker Dasan McCullough Breaks Down 'Mindset Shift'

When asked about the transition, he smiled and said, "It definitely feels like I'm just back at home now, like back where I'm supposed to be. So, it feels really comfortable playing."

The adjustment hasn’t been a steep climb, either. "Honestly, like, I played it my freshman year, so it was really just getting back into the groove of things, getting back to the physicality, being back closer to the ball, you know, switching fronts, movement, stuff like that. Kind of just getting back into that mode. But it didn't take long."

A shift in role also means a shift in mentality, and McCullough broke that down clearly. "Maybe just your mindset. Your mindset's just more physical because, you know, you're going, you're going head-on head against somebody every play."

With that, he also added, "You know, when I was playing in the back end, you know, there are some plays where you don't take off, but like there's some plays where you're not physically involved. So, you know, I'd say from that standpoint, just get my body back in that condition."

That physical approach is sharpened every day in practice for him. That’s where he finds himself lining up against Nebraska’s big offensive tackles and tight ends. He didn’t shy away from praising the competition. 

When asked about standout teammates, he pointed to two in particular. "Oh, yeah. Pritch has strong hands. Lindenmeyer has really strong hands, too. Blocking at tight end." His shoutouts to offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett and tight end Luke Lindenmeyer highlighted the healthy battles that are raising the level of everyone in camp.

The press conference ended on a more personal note as McCullough reflected on Nebraska’s season opener against Cincinnati. This will take place in his hometown of Kansas City. 

For him, it’s not just another game. "It's huge. Uh, honestly, it means a lot just to be able to, uh, for my last year to be able to play my season opener and KC against Cincinnati, where I was born. So, you know, just both of those places, uh, it's going to be huge. I have a lot of people coming."

The Journey of Dasan McCullough

Before arriving in Lincoln, McCullough had already carved out an impressive resume. As a freshman at Indiana in 2022, he earned Freshman All-American honors. And if that's not enough, he also got an honorable mention for All-Big Ten honors with 49 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three pass breakups in 12 games. 

After transferring to Oklahoma, he played in 10 games with seven starts in 2023, recording 30 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and three pass breakups. His 2024 season was slowed by injury. However, he returned for seven games with 17 tackles and 2.5 TFLs. His career totals before Nebraska included 22 games, 12 starts, 79 tackles, 10.0 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, and six pass breakups.

Now at Nebraska, McCullough pairs his on-field excellence with academic and personal achievements. Majoring in child, youth, and family studies, he is also the son of Deland and Darnell McCullough, carrying both family legacy and personal ambition into his final season.