2/1/2022 football Edit

Star 2022 signee Dasan McCullough staying at IU despite father's departure

Keegan Nickoson • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

In my senior year at Indiana studying Sports Media and Sports Journalism. I live for the most outlandish takes on the IU boards. Fat Dan's has the best food in Bloomington.

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It looks like Indiana's highest-rated recruit ever is staying put.

2022 LB Dasan McCullough, Indiana's #1 overall player, #5 LB nationally, who signed with Indiana during the early signing period made the announcement on his Twitter this afternoon that he is remaining a Hoosier with the words "I'm home", and a picture of him in an Indiana hat.

This news should have Hoosier fans ecstatic. It was everything but a done deal to many, that Deland McCullough's departure to Notre Dame to take over as the Fighting Irish's running back's coach would end in Dasan following him there, just like he did after his father took over the same role at Indiana before the 2021 season.

"He's pretty special. 6'5", 235 pounds and only going to get bigger," IU head coach Tom Allen said of his signee. "He's tall and thin, even at that weight. But plays linebacker for us. I think he can play edge. He played safety in high school. He can play receiver. All different things.

"Love his IQ, really high football IQ. You can see it on film. He's always diagnosing and reading things and reading and reacting and just really excited about the potential, the versatility, the length and just the want-to."

Dasan's loyalty to Indiana comes as a surprise to some, and it can't be understated what it does for Tom Allen's 2022 squad. His college-ready skillset can help the Hoosiers from week one onward.

Dasan's departure had the potential to set Indiana back a few years. His decision to stay makes his father's leaving just a bit more bearable.