Curt Cignetti Looking To Get Donaven McCulley ‘Back In The Swing Of Things’

Donaven McCulley’s production through four games has been limited after a Week 1 injury, but Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said Monday that the 6-foot-5 receiver is getting closer.

Indiana tight end Zach Horton (44) celebrates a touchdown with Donaven McCulley (1) against Florida International at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After being Indiana’s leading receiver in 2023, Donaven McCulley has just one catch for nine yards through four games in 2024.

Why? McCulley left Indiana’s season-opener against Florida International after absorbing a hard hit to his upper body. The injury held him out of Indiana’s 77-3 win over Western Illinois, and he played just three snaps against UCLA and seven snaps against Charlotte.

Had Indiana been without its 6-foot-5 target last year, the offense likely would have sputtered. But new head coach Curt Cignetti added four veteran transfers – Elijah Sarratt (James Madison), Miles Cross (Ohio), Myles Price (Texas Tech) and Ke’Shawn Williams (Wake Forest) – and built a deep wide receivers room with returning Hoosiers like McCulley, Omar Cooper Jr., E.J. Williams Jr. and Andison Coby.

There was no need to rush McCulley back during a month-long stretch of games that saw the Hoosiers outscore their opponents by nearly 40 points on average. And with that influx of receiving talent, McCulley will have to earn his snaps.

“Yeah, he missed time. When you miss significant time in the season, sometimes it can be hard to catch up,” Cignetti said Monday. “But he's getting closer. Tried to get him the ball a few times in the fourth quarter, came close, didn't quite work out. So looking forward to him getting back in the swing of things.”

McCulley came inches away from two big plays against Charlotte. On a pass from backup quarterback Tayven Jackson with 9:24 to play, McCulley leapt high in the air but couldn’t quite haul in an acrobatic catch. A few plays later, Jackson barely overthrew McCulley’s outstretched arms on what likely would have been a 28-yard touchdown completion.

Those plays offered glimpses into the talent McCulley displayed during his junior season, when he led the Hoosiers with 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns.

WHAT A CATCH FROM DONAVEN MCCULLEY 😱

🎥: @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/EejL8XJWvS

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 4, 2023

He developed a strong connection with former Indiana quarterback Brendan Sorsby late in the season, averaging 84 receiving yards across the final five games. McCulley’s biggest game came at Illinois, where he hauled in 11 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns and drew several pass interference penalties.

If McCulley can fully return to that form, an already productive Indiana receiving corps will become even more dangerous.

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