Could IU be in the market for another running back?
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In the three months since returning to Indiana for his second stint as running backs coach, Deland McCullough has wasted no time making an impact in the recruiting realm. Three of his sons, Deland II (Miami Ohio transfer), Dasan (2022 recruiting class) and Daeh (2023), each announced last month that they’ll join IU’s program in the near future.
And in the coming weeks, one of McCullough’s former pupils at Southern California may also consider Bloomington a worthy stop in his college football journey.
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome back to Off Tackle Empire’s position-by-position thumbnail series as we gear up for B1G 2021. Being more of an audio contributor these days, whenever I’m obligated to hammer away at the ol’ typin’ machine for one of these series, you’d better believe I’m taking the low-hanging fruit. What better plum piece to snag than a counting-stat smooth brain’s bonanza, the running back?
1.
After a sometimes-underwhelming regular season, Trey Sermon parlayed a late-season hot streak into an NFL departure. Master Teague III, somehow a forgotten man in the press despite his fantastic name, went for nearly 5 YPC in split duty last year, but don’t assume he’s set for a dominant role now.
Best Running Backs In the Big Ten 2021 - Off Tackle Empire offtackleempire.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from offtackleempire.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Part of the reason Indiana went big on its running backs coach hire, bringing back Deland McCullough from the Kansas City Chiefs to run the room and hold the title of associate head coach, is because the running game was one of the only facets of the game in which the 2020 Hoosiers were not particularly strong.
In a 6-2 season in which the Hoosiers finished second in the Big Ten East and ranked No. 12 in the nation, they finished 12th in the Big Ten in rushing offense with 108.6 yards per game. They were even worse in yards per carry, finishing 13th in the league with 3.1 yards per attempts. Only Michigan State, which scored just two touchdowns on the ground all season, was worse per attempt with 2.7 yards per carry.
Scott to enter NFL Draft
DYLAN SINN | The Journal Gazette
Indiana running back Stevie Scott III will forego his final two seasons of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft, he announced Saturday.
“What a ride it has been, coming to IU . has been a life-changing experience for me,” Scott wrote on social media. “I’ve made so many memories and built many relationships on and off the field that I will cherish for a lifetime. Changing the culture of Indiana football was a big goal of min(e) and we did that! I want to thank Coach (Tom) Allen and (running backs) Coach (Mike) Hart for both believing in me and my potential and helping me prepare for the next chapter. I would like to thank my parents for their sacrifices in order for me to be where I am today.