4/6/2021 football Edit

McCullough says he is preparing entire room to be starting running back

Paul Gable • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

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With the spring practices winding down for the Indiana Hoosiers, running backs coach Deland McCullough says the jury is still out on finding a starting running back who will replace the departed Stevie Scott this season.

Meeting with the media Tuesday, McCullough said his running backs have been working very hard since he returned to Bloomington.

"My impressions coming in were a very smart group, very talented and bought into the culture. They are working hard and have bought into what I bring to the table. I am trying to get these guys to not only become the best version of themselves, but also Big Ten champs," McCullough said.

Last season, Scott accounted for 561 yards and 10 touchdowns, including two in the Outback Bowl out of the wildcat position. Scott finished the season on the Second Team All-Big Ten Team and closes out his Indiana career fourth in program history with 30 rushing touchdowns, fifth with 32 total TDs, seventh with 562 attempts, ninth with 2,543 rushing yards and tied for 10th with nine 100-yard games. Scott joined running back Anthony Thompson (1986-89) and quarterback Antwaan Randle El (1998-2001) as the only Hoosiers to score at least 10 rushing touchdowns in three-straight seasons.

However, with Scott leaving Indiana to test the NFL waters, there is a void when it comes to starting running back for an offense that struggled, at times, to run the football in 2020.

The Hoosiers bring back Sampson James, Tim Baldwin and David Ellis, all of whom carried the football at various points for Indiana during the 2020 season.

However, those pieces didn't produce much as the season progressed. Baldwin had 141 yards on 22 carries during the season, of which 106 came against the Terrapins, and James finished the year with 96 yards on 32 carries in six games. As for Ellis, he played in five games and accounted for 61 yards on 16 carries. As a unit, Indiana amassed 869 yards on 278 yards, averaged 3.1 yards per carry and found the end zone only 12 times. Furthermore, on the season, the Hoosiers finished the year 12th in the Big Ten out of 14 teams in rushing offense, averaging 108.7 yards.

On Tuesday, McCullough was asked about James, Ellis, Baldwin and 2020 walk-on and former Indiana Mr. Football Charlie Spegal.

"Right now, I am preparing all these guys to be the starter. The time Tim has been out there, he's looked good. All the guys and other coaches see that I am trying to fortify every skill of every guy in the room to make us a championship team. We have to have depth. I am excited about Tim, but I am excited about all the guys," McCullough said.

As for Ellis, McCullough said he has been "very impressed."

"When I watched IU last year, I saw him getting time in there with Stevie and was impressed with what he brings to the table. I have been impressed with his demeanor, fact that he is driven and is a leader of that room. He can catch the ball and make guys miss in space," Ellis said.

McCullough said Spegal has been a player who has impressed him quite a bit this spring.

"Chuck Spegal, that guy has been impressive to me. The thing that impresses me the most is every day he does something that pops off at you. He has taken coaching and his level of urgency has improved ten-fold. He made a cut back the other day and the whole room was like, "Man, where did that come from?" He has taken coaching very well and I am very excited about him. He has stepped up and was one of our better pass protectors. You never know what will happen," McCullough said.

And, as for James, McCullough said he had a conversation with him when he accepted the job.

"Just hearing him be honest about where he is and what he wants to do and being open to some of the things. I told him a couple of things about what I would bring to the table and make it easy for guys. Getting his buy-in as one of the leaders of the group has helped. Sampson is a leader in that room and knows what is going on. He is like another coach at times and is very loud and vocal. I am excited for him and he sees the light bulb going off," McCullough said.

As for who will step up and be the starter when the Hoosiers open the season at Iowa remains a bit of a mystery.

But, one thing is certain, multiple players will get a look, according to McCullough.

"My history has shown I will play a bunch of guys. Obviously, you'd like a guy to separate himself. However, you have a strong supporting cast of guys who can do different guys. I have always been big on building the room from the bottom up. It will be interesting to see how it plays out as we continue through spring ball, go through the summer and then come into the fall and let's put it all down and make this run. The guys are doing everything I have asked. They have made it tough for us to decide, and they have stepped up," McCullough said.