‘Locked in’: Donaven McCulley back at Indiana football with lofty goals

Indiana football wide receiver Donaven McCulley entered this offseason in a much different light than he did the year prior. Not only did McCulley enter the transfer portal, but he was coming off of an extremely productive season which in turn yielded him interest from numerous high-profile programs across the country.

But, it was a decision to return to Indiana that really sets the stage for what could take his game to another level. It starts and ends with hard work, but more importantly — his ability to take constructive criticism and use it to transform his game.

He wasted no time in doing so.

“Coming back to Indiana just talking to coach, I told him to coach me hard,” McCulley said. “Him (Curt Cignetti) getting on me in the spring and challenging me it kind of helped me really learn how he operates and learn how the team operates. I really just kind of took the initiative to really get in my playbook more.”

The challenge that was made, was made quite publicly. Curt Cignetti didn’t mince words when it came to McCulley in spring practice.

“I think Donaven needs to pick it up a little bit,” Cignetti told reporters during the spring.

McCulley responded with a great end to spring camp and took that momentum into the fall. And, it’s that ‘tough love’ coaching style that resonates most with McCulley.

“It was different when I got to college,” McCulley said. “Now with Coach Cignetti, he’s really coaching me hard. I wasn’t as used to it when he first started coaching me real hard, but now I’m used to it.”

Not only is it evident from McCulley’s perspective — it’s something that Omar Cooper knows will fuel the Indiana football wideout. That duo were high school teammates at Lawrence North and were one of the most productive quarterback – receiver pairs across the country.

Now, they enter year three together at the same position.

“When coaches get on him and are hard on him, it fuels him up,” Cooper said of McCulley. “It makes him angry, but when he plays angry he plays better to me.”

McCulley finished last season with a team-best 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns. It was by far his most productive season at Indiana and a true breakout year.

But, it didn’t come easy last year. McCulley had more than 40 yards just two of the first five games to start the season. Then, things clicked. He then had 40+ yards in each of the last five games of the season, including three 70+ yard performances.

He averaged 5.6 receptions for 84 yards in those five games. He also had five of his six touchdowns over that span as well.

“I knew I could play at that high level since I started,” McCulley said. “I just felt like the last half of the season it was really the results of us getting the ball out and spreading the ball out and stuff like that.”

However, it’s yet another offseason where Donaven McCulley will undergo change. A new staff comes to Indiana football and that means a new offensive coordinator. Mike Shanahan came with Curt Cignetti from James Madison and brings with him a terrific resume. Through six months of working together, Shanahan is impressed with McCulley on and off the field but knows he’s nowhere near his full potential — something he’s trying to unlock in year one together.

“Don has done a really good job in fall camp,” Shanahan said. “He’s locked in in the meeting room, taking notes and asking questions. On the field he’s still developing into a complete receiver. I know he came here as a quarterback and has only been doing it for a couple years now. So some of it is a bit new and some of the ways we are teaching it is a bit new … he’s given great effort on the field. It may not be perfect or exactly how you want it, but I can work with that.

“He continues to get better each and every day.”

McCulley is part of a talented and versatile receiving core that will likely be the backbone of the Indiana football offense. If McCulley’s offseason mindset is one that the entire group adheres too, it’ll be a breakout season for the entire group.

SEE ALSO: Deep. Talented. Skilled. Indiana football ready to debut versatile receiver room with anyone able to ‘really take over the game’

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