Indiana true freshman quarterback Donaven McCulley wasn't expected to play a large role in the Hoosiers' 2021 season but is now expected to see more action moving forward.
Following the injury to reserve quarterback Dexter Williams (ACL) to start the season, McCulley was moved up to No. 3 on the depth chart. Then, when Michael Penix went down against Penn State, McCulley suddenly saw himself sitting as the backup just a few games into his freshman season.
While the plan was to use the four-game redshirt rule -- allowing a player to play in up to four games while still maintaining redshirt eligibility -- that plan is now out of the window.
"We were going to (redshirt him) and now we're not," IU head coach Tom Allen said on Monday. "When Michael (Penix) went down, we basically made the decision that he would have to go. Before that, the thought was that we just use those four games in a judicious way.
"Now, what you got is he's training to be the next guy in. We expect to see him more. We kind of even thought we would use him more on Saturday."
McCulley came in as a four-star recruit rated as the No. 100 player in the 2021 class and the No. 4 dual-threat QB. He threw for 2,576 yards and 22 touchdowns while also rushing for an additional 506 yards and two touchdowns as a senior at Lawrence North.
Coming into his first year, Tom Allen already knew what he had in McCulley and could see the talent level right away in fall practice.
“He just has a great demeanor about him, about wanting to learn and grow and get better,” Allen said in fall camp. “I think that’s a good sign for mental development... You walk out there and you notice him. Pure in the way he moves... He’s going to keep getting better and better. He’s going to be special."
On Saturday against Michigan State, McCulley saw his first snaps as a Hoosier. He saw three snaps, rushing the ball twice for eight yards. He was used mainly as an option quarterback in all three plays.
McCulley is now slotted as the clear No. 2 with the redshirt off of the table.
"We're being honest in the fact that we don't know the length of time," Allen said of Penix's injury. "We don't know. We've been told it can be a short period or long... Because of that, (McCulley) is the No. 2. He is the next guy in the game if something would happen to Jack (Tuttle).
"We have to prepare him as such and take a long-term approach with that and not think, 'Hey, we're still going to try to protect him for those four games.' To me, we just have to take that out of your head."
Now a more expansive role should be expected for McCulley moving forward.
"I think he's a talented passer," IU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said. "He is a talented kid. He has a strong arm. He is accurate. It's just making sure that he feels comfortable in those moments, on a lot of things. The protection, the read, the throw, etc. He's making progress every day and I think the sky's the limit for him.
"The challenge with him is, not only are you developing a few package plays for him, but you're also trying to get him up to speed on whatever the (weekly) gameplan is."
Indiana's offense has struggled all season to produce explosive plays. Whether it is throwing the ball downfield to its receivers or finding ways to get the ball in playmaker's hands and letting them make a play.
McCulley provides athleticism at the quarterback position and the ability to bring a spark to a very lackluster quarterback room at the moment.
"He's a very talented guy and we have to maximize our roster," Allen said. "To me, he's one of our guys who can make plays with the ball in his hand."
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