Deland McCullough - RB Coach (2022-2024)

[irishff1014]

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Seems to be a bit of ground swelling here. People are unhappy.

I'd like to see if they can add the second back in this class before I rush to judgment. This guy has delivered Love, Williams, Payne and Young thus far. Thurman is in the mix and maybe one more.

Again, just looking to be rational and not make assumptions he's lazy, bad, malcontent, etc.

 

[NDMatt91]

Seems to be a bit of ground swelling here. People are unhappy.

I'd like to see if they can add the second back in this class before I rush to judgment. This guy has delivered Love, Williams, Payne and Young thus far. Thurman is in the mix and maybe one more.

Again, just looking to be rational and not make assumptions he's lazy, bad, malcontent, etc.

He’s a good recruiter and a good coach. I think people are just upset that he was lazy this cycle and mailed it in on this class more than a year ago.

 

[LifelongFan]

209 rushing yards per game. I do not care that he offered someone we later processed.

 

[ThePiombino]

209 rushing yards per game. I do not care that he offered someone we later processed.

If you want to rush for 209ypg you need to recruit better than he is doing this cycle.

Also, how many of those are Leonard?

 

[NDFAN2008]

If you want to rush for 209ypg you need to recruit better than he is doing this cycle.

Also, how many of those are Leonard?

We don’t need to bring in a home run this cycle we will have 4 NFL backs on the roster next year whoever they bring in won’t see the field for 2-3 years

 

[ThePiombino]

We don’t need to bring in a home run this cycle we will have 4 NFL backs on the roster next year whoever they bring in won’t see the field for 2-3 years

Disagree. We need to bring in studs EVERY CYCLE. Players don't stick around anymore. You bring in the best you can either through traditional recruiting or the portal. Let them fight it out. Cream rises, the rest either provides quality depth or it transfers. Rinse and repeat. No reason to ever settle for anything less than the best possible talent available.

 

[INLaw]

I think experts have said this is almost a historically poor quality rb recruiting cycle

 

[Rockin’Irish]

I think experts have said this is almost a historically poor quality rb recruiting cycle

I have read the same thing…..

 

[rtrn2glory]

If that's the case I have no problem being picky you're cycle and grabbing portal options or taking a few more next year

 

[stlnd01]

We also have two very good ones in the '24 class.
Does the philosophy of "take three RBs every two cycles" still apply in the portal era? You can't really carry more than six anyway.
If so, it's probably fine to take one this time around unless a second who's quite good (the Clemson commit?) wants in.

 

[Rizzophil]

Seems to be a bit of ground swelling here. People are unhappy.

I'd like to see if they can add the second back in this class before I rush to judgment. This guy has delivered Love, Williams, Payne and Young thus far. Thurman is in the mix and maybe one more.

Again, just looking to be rational and not make assumptions he's lazy, bad, malcontent, etc.

I mean he’s got Price and J Love. What else do you want from a rb coach

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I think experts have said this is almost a historically poor quality rb recruiting cycle

I'm not terribly dialed into the recruiting scene, so having now seen this, I think it makes a bit more sense and seems like a rationale response to not having an overwhelming sense of urgency to get bodies in. It sounds like they have something cooking behind the scenes, though, and there could be backchanneling in the portal as well. After all, Narduzzi says ND tampers.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Deland McCullough is this year's nominee for the "target on the back assistant coach" (Al Washington won the award in 2023), apparently.

Guy has been a terrific coach here and the claims that he's been "lazy" simply amount to...taking Anderson, who was then processed. I don't get it.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Deland McCullough is this year's nominee for the "target on the back assistant coach" (Al Washington won the award in 2023), apparently.

Guy has been a terrific coach here and the claims that he's been "lazy" simply amount to...taking Anderson, who was then processed. I don't get it.

Uninformed grievance. Something to be upset about. It's hard for me to imagine he's been definitively lazy. When you're associate HC, you're taking a lot off of the plate of the head coach on top of your regular duties. Posters here have mentioned there is talk that they're still actively looking for another RB in this class, and if that is true, it seems like making the accusation that the RB coach "isn't recruiting" a rather stupid one.

Who knows, in the end, but I am leaning toward the idea that accusations of incompetence are from fans that just want something to complain about simply because something doesn't look shiny on paper.

 

[notredomer23]

This thread is going to look a lot different when he flips Gideon Davidson in a few weeks. (No info, just that I think it’s gonna happen)

 

[NDPhilly]

This thread is going to look a lot different when he flips Gideon Davidson in a few weeks. (No info, just that I think it’s gonna happen)

Things have been too quiet, would agree that something has to be cooking with a committed player, otherwise we would have had names pop up more like with the WRs.

 

[allenm5333]

This thread is going to look a lot different when he flips Gideon Davidson in a few weeks. (No info, just that I think it’s gonna happen)

Didnt singer say no chance?

 

[T-Boone]

Deland McCullough is this year's nominee for the "target on the back assistant coach" (Al Washington won the award in 2023), apparently.

Guy has been a terrific coach here and the claims that he's been "lazy" simply amount to...taking Anderson, who was then processed. I don't get it.

Surely that’s the WR coach.

 

[NDPhilly]

Didnt singer say no chance?

You mean Sweaty Mike?

 

[notredomer23]

Didnt singer say no chance?

ND is definitely still talking with him. Singer’s info was based off Davidson’s tweet. Clemson has a strict no visit policy so if it happens we won’t hear about it until he’s there

 

[zelezo vlk]

ND is definitely still talking with him. Singer’s info was based off Davidson’s tweet. Clemson has a strict no visit policy so if it happens we won’t hear about it until he’s there

This would be incredible

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Chris Vannini mentions DMC as a potential HC candidate at Ball State. Coached at IU for seven years, ND for three is the dot he connects.

 

[stlnd01]

Chris Vannini mentions DMC as a potential HC candidate at Ball State. Coached at IU for seven years, ND for three is the dot he connects.

If he wants to be a HC (which is why he came back to college ball, IIRC) that move would make a lot of sense. Though maybe he could do a little better?

 

[CanadalovesND]

If he wants to be a HC (which is why he came back to college ball, IIRC) that move would make a lot of sense. Though maybe he could do a little better?

It’s hard to step into a coaching job without any experience. G5 makes the most sense. Although, that wasn’t the path our own head coach took.

 

[irishjim]

Maybe a G5 head coaching job isn’t as appealing as it was a few years ago due to the portal explosion. G5 studs will get lured to bigger programs with $$$ and you’re constantly hoping your incoming kids make a splash for a year or two. Very few G5 schools have a NIL system in place to keep players

 

[stlnd01]

It’s hard to step into a coaching job without any experience. G5 makes the most sense. Although, that wasn’t the path our own head coach took.

I just meant a little bit better within the MAC. Without coordinator experience, which Freeman had, G5 is probably the best DMC could hope for.

Interesting question as to whether one would rather be a MAC head coach or a highly-regarded assistant at an elite program. In this day and age.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

He turns 52 in a couple of weeks and has never been a coordinator. If he wants to be a head coach, he's not getting any younger and probably shouldn't be entirely all that picky when you consider what is out there.

Neu was making something like $700k at Ball State this year. You can certainly do worse.

I also think these short lists from The Athletic, Rivals, etc. when these jobs open should be taken with a grain of salt. The obvious dots to connect were that Ball State is in Indiana and DMC has coached in Indiana for a lot of his career. A Notre Dame assistant being mentioned in an article like this gets clicks, buzz, etc.

 

[Irish#1]

Chris Vannini mentions DMC as a potential HC candidate at Ball State. Coached at IU for seven years, ND for three is the dot he connects.

If he wants to be a HC (which is why he came back to college ball, IIRC) that move would make a lot of sense. Though maybe he could do a little better?

BSU would be a big mistake IMO. Unless the administration has had a change of heart, there is virtually no support for athletics and hasn't been for a while. HFC was making $700K. Buyout $550.

 

[jprue24]

Feels like the right place.