A combination of things led to Top247 athlete Dasan McCullough flipping his verbal commitment from Ohio State to Indiana, but family was certainly the predominant reason.
The four-star McCullough gave the Buckeyes his verbal back in August. Since then his father, has gone from the Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach – where he spent the last three seasons – back to Indiana where he spent 2011-2016 as an assistant as well.
Not long after his father elected to return to Bloomington, McCullough’s younger brother Daeh McCullough, a Top247 recruit in the 2023 class committed to the Hoosiers.
Then on Saturday, older brother Deland McCullough II announced his plans to transfer from Miami (Ohio) to IU. Dasan said it was then that he would be a Hoosier too.
“The chance to play with my brothers is huge!” he told 247Sports Sunday, shortly before going public with his plans. “Both of my brothers and be under my dad. I know what it’s like to play with both of them and that’s something that’s huge for me at the next level and a blessing that doesn’t come around a lot.”
McCullough played with his older sibling his freshman year before an injury cut Deland II’s final prep campaign short just three games in.
“He’s the reason I wear number one,” Dasan said “My sophomore year I decided to finish it off for him and wear number one because he didn’t get to finish out his high school football career.”
The last two seasons Dasan has gotten a chance to suit up with Daeh and looks forward to one more at Bloomington (Ind.) South before all three get together and wear the Cream and Crimson down the road.
“This is the place I grew up at, it’s like home to me,” Dasan said. “It’s an area where I lived for several years before and obviously we’re back now, that’s a big part of it. I already know what the culture is and how the community is like.”
McCullough told the Ohio State staff on Saturday he had a change of heart.
“I love the coaching staff there,” Dasan said. “Obviously when I talked to the coaches they understood that. I love the opportunity they gave me. A kid from Ohio to play for the biggest school was huge. I appreciate the opportunity and wish them the best.”
With that, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound McCullough looks forward to taking Indiana to new heights. The Hoosiers were ranked a program-record 10-straight weeks last fall, wrapping up at No. 12, the school’s best finish since 1967. IU heads into the season coming off back-to-back January bowl games for the first time in their history.
“I feel like the future is definitely bright,” McCullough said. He is commit No. 2 for Tom Allen and his staff in the 2022 class. “We have to get more recruits on board and more people to buy into what Coach Allen is bringing into the team. I think this is what’s exactly going to happen with me joining the team. I think some people maybe didn’t want to be the first one. This should definitely open some doors and I’ll get out there and recruit.”
McCullough told Allen he was coming on Sunday morning.
“I think he’s a great guy,” Dasan said. “I think he’s a real family guy. The players love him. He’s definitely a players’ coach and I’m excited to play under him.
“The whole coaching staff I love. I got to meet everybody. I love them all, great people and I want to play for people that want the best for me and can help me get to the next level.”
McCullough is tabbed by the 247Sports Composite as the country’s No. 6 athlete and No. 50 prospect overall. He is the No. 1 prospect in the Hoosier State and becomes IU’s top-ranked commit in the 247Sports era passing his brother Daeh who is the No. 78 overall prospect in his class.
The Hoosiers will utilize McCullough in the second level of their defense.
“As a real versatile linebacker that will be playing a lot in coverage, blitzing, moving me around a lot of different places and really use me to my advantage and it’s definitely something I feel comfortable with and something I feel I will thrive in.”
Making it all the more fun will be having so much family around.
