There was a time not too long ago that Deland McCullough II would workout in the weight room and run around the campus of Indiana University while his father, running backs coach Deland McCullough, was coaching the Hoosiers during his first stint in Bloomington.
Fast forward to 2021 and the father-and-son are both back in Indiana, with the elder McCullough again coaching running backs and his son preparing to be a safety on Indiana's defense after transferring earlier this year from Miami (OH).
Meeting with the media this week, McCullough II said he fell in love with Indiana as a teenager and was excited to be back.
"I had dreams of playing at IU even when I was young and my dad was coaching here. We were here for six seasons. I fell in love with it when I was young here in Bloomington. Just IU football and everything. The atmosphere. It just became a reality here in the last couple of months," McCullough II told members of the media Thursday via Zoom.
However, it almost didn't happen.
After losing the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, the elder McCullough left the NFL ranks to return to Bloomington, and McCullough II was still part of the Redhawks program at Miami.
"When he got the job at Indiana, it didn't even cross my mind," McCullough II said of leaving Miami.
However, several variables were added to the dynamic, as his younger brother, Daeh, had committed to Indiana, and his brother, Dasan, decommitted from Ohio State and committed to Indiana.
“It was something that just kind of happened,” Deland II told the media. “Due to other circumstances, I decided that it was something I wanted to do. After further conversation with my dad and the coaches after I entered the portal, they made it happen.”
Since arriving back on campus and meeting his new teammates, McCullough II notes he lets his mind wander back to those early moments at Indiana.
“I know when I’m working out, I’m like, ‘Man, I remember when I was here when I was 13.’ It’s been a long road, but I’m really excited. I really like what’s going on so far. I can’t wait for this thing to really get moving.”
And, he looks forward to going up against his father's offense in practice and being around his dad during his college career with the Hoosiers.
“It’s exciting when you have your dad right around the corner, especially being on the same staff and everything,” he said. “When we’re in this building, I expect him to be a coach more than he is my dad. That’s just what I expect. Outside of here, of course, is different. It’s definitely a great experience. Not a lot of people can say their dad is their coach at this level.”
And, he wants to help the Hoosiers achieve greatness on a defense that was among the best in the nation in terms of takeaways a season ago.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing on a big stage. This is something I’m hoping I can take full advantage of and go out there and show them what I can do," McCullough II said.
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