Hoosiers Now

Donaven McCulley Moving to Wide Receiver, According to Don Fischer

Donaven McCulley appeared in seven games at quarterback for Tom Allen and the Indiana football team as a true freshman, but he could be making a positional change ahead of his sophomore season. Indiana play-by-play announcer Don Fischer said McCulley has embraced the move to wide receiver.

Jack Ankony

Indiana football play-by-play announcer Don Fischer said in an interview on Indiana Sports Talk on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis that Donaven McCulley has moved from quarterback to wide receiver this offseason. 

“They’ve decided to make [McCulley] a wide receiver,” Fischer said. “He’s really embraced that change, and I think he’s going to be a difference maker as time goes on at Indiana in that wide receiver role because he’s a big strong physical kid.”

McCulley came to Indiana as four-star recruit after passing for 6,211 passing yards, 1,274 rushing yards, 47 touchdowns at Lawrence North High School. He was a 2020 Indiana Football Coaches Association top 50 all-state selection and one of three Mr. Football finalists. 

As the Hoosiers dealt with a slew of injuries to quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Jack Tuttle during the 2021 season, head coach Tom Allen experimented with the versatile McCulley in a variety of roles. McCulley first saw game action as a true freshman on Oct. 16 against No. 10 Michigan State when he rushed twice for eight yards.

When Tuttle left the Ohio State game the following week with an injury, Allen had no choice but to put McCulley under center. Allen discussed the desire to use a redshirt year for McCulley in his first year in Bloomington, but that soon became impossible. McCulley completed 1-of-6 pass attempts for 30 yards in a cold and rainy Memorial Stadium, and he rushed 11 times for nine yards.

The freshman from Lawrence North started his first game under center the next week at Maryland. He formed a solid connection with tight end Peyton Hendershot, who caught six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns to become Indiana's all-time leading receiver among tight ends. 

McCulley completed 14-of-25 pass attempts for an Indiana true-freshman record 242 yards and two touchdowns. But the Maryland defense contained the edges and wouldn't allow McCulley to scramble out of the pocket, leading to a 38-35 Maryland victory. 

After flashing signs of potential in his first career start, McCulley was shut down by a stout Michigan defense under the lights at The Big House. The pass rush was quick to McCulley all night as he completed 10-of-24 for 88 yards. He had a slick 24-yard rush to set up Indiana's only score of the game – a one-yard touchdown run from Chris Childers – but the Indiana offense gained just 195 yards all night.

Accuracy struggles continued the following week in Indiana's 38-3 home loss to Rutgers as McCulley connected on 7-of-20 pass attempts for 98 yards. Rutgers forced McCulley to win with his arm and not his legs, as he mustered seven yards on 10 rush attempts. Tuttle and walk-on Grant Gremel also appeared this game, combining for 79 yards on 11-for-22 passing. 

McCulley and Gremel alternated quarterbacking duties the next week against Maryland, but both completed fewer than 43 percent of their pass attempts. Despite throwing two interceptions, McCulley had perhaps his most impressive rushing game against the Gophers, though, gaining 68 yards on 15 attempts with a touchdown. 

And now, after becoming the third true freshman quarterback in Indiana history to start a game, McCulley appears to be making a move to wide receiver. He clearly has the athleticism, speed and mobility to play receiver, and at 6-foot-5, he'd be Indiana's tallest target at the position.

"In some regards, [McCulley] is in the same mold as James Hardy,” Fischer said.

Hardy was Indiana's all-time leader in catches, yards and touchdowns, and played three seasons from 2005 to 2007 before he was drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills. 

Indiana lost Ty Fryfogle to the NFL and Miles Marshall transferred to Miami (OH), leaving behind a wide receiver room scarce of significant prior production. Florida State transfer D.J. Matthews is back in Bloomington, but he's coming off a torn ACL suffered last season against Western Kentucky. Allen brought in transfers Emery Simmons from North Carolina and JUCO transfer Cam Camper, who are expected to contribute, along with Javon Swinton and Malachi Holt-Bennett who have shown flashes in their time at Indiana. 

With McCulley's move to receiver, the quarterback competition appears to be down to Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle, who enters his fourth season at Indiana after transferring from Utah. At 6-foot-3, Bazelak started 24 games at Missouri, throwing for 5,084 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions while completing 66.4 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-4 Tuttle threw for 423 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions last season. 

Stories related to Indiana football:

  • TOM ALLEN 1-on-1 (Part 1): Indiana football coach Tom Allen sat down with HoosiersNow.com for an extensive 30-minute interview. In the first part of our series from Allen's interview, we discuss the role to be played by the Class of 2022, the highest-rated recruiting class in Indiana football history. CLICK HERE
  • WR TRANSFER FOCUS: With the departure of Ty Fryfogle and Miles Marshall, Indiana brought in a pair of transfer wide receivers. Emery Simmons becomes a Hoosier after three seasons at North Carolina, and Cam Camper takes a step up from Trinity Valley Community College. CLICK HERE
  • RB TRANSFER FOCUS: With Indiana's top four running backs from 2021 gone, Tom Allen hit the transfer portal to bring in Shaun Shivers from Auburn and Josh Henderson from North Carolina. And with a new running backs coach, a featured role is up for grabs. CLICK HERE
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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.

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