(2022) DB Dasan McCullough to INDIANA

[CSP]

11 hours ago, Old Friend said:

When he says here-classed, is he young?   Nobody needs young football players.    I'm happy to have him, but stay in school, kid.  College is full of 22-23 year old men.  No place for an 18 year old, generally..regardless of freak body.

He needs to be on campus in Decemeber with the team.. practicing, lifting, and learning. 

[Old Friend]

4 hours ago, btownqb said:

He needs to be on campus in Decemeber with the team.. practicing, lifting, and learning. 

Needs?

[IUc2016]

2 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

Needs?

In December he will be finished with High school football. Doubt he plays a Spring sport so why wouldn't he graduate one semester early to come early to IU? I mean it's either December/January or June?

[Hovadipo]

17 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

Needs?

It’s a pretty huge head start. Especially for a guy that will likely be playing next fall. 

[kreigh8]

7 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

It’s a pretty huge head start. Especially for a guy that will likely be playing next fall. 

Amen. He'd benefit greatly from being on campus early, as would most, if not all recruits

[Hovadipo]

17 minutes ago, kreigh8 said:

Amen. He'd benefit greatly from being on campus early, as would most, if not all recruits

Coaching staffs (stalves? staffi?) would bring their entire signing class to campus every January if they could. Winter training and spring practice for an 18 year old is such a major advantage. 

[kreigh8]

Just now, Hovadipo said:

Coaching staffs (stalves? staffi?) would bring their entire signing class to campus every January if they could. Winter training and spring practice for an 18 year old is such a major advantage. 

Totally agree which is why I questioned the quibbling over the word needs. In basketball we always marvel at the body differences that players have when they get into Clif Marshall's weight program. In a sport that's even more reliant on strength and conditioning, getting players into that system and environment earlier would only be to their advantage even if missing out on some of those end of high school events. Just my $0.02

[Stuhoo]

8 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

Coaching staffs (stalves? staffi?) would bring their entire signing class to campus every January if they could. Winter training and spring practice for an 18 year old is such a major advantage. 

*staffages.

 

[Hovadipo]

19 minutes ago, kreigh8 said:

Totally agree which is why I questioned the quibbling over the word needs. In basketball we always marvel at the body differences that players have when they get into Clif Marshall's weight program. In a sport that's even more reliant on strength and conditioning, getting players into that system and environment earlier would only be to their advantage even if missing out on some of those end of high school events. Just my $0.02

Especially true when the head honcho is Aaron friggin’ Wellman!

[CSP]

7 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

Especially true when the head honcho is Aaron friggin’ Wellman!

Hasn't McCulley gained 15lbs already.  Something like that.  

[CSP]

8 hours ago, Old Friend said:

Needs?

What all the others said.. plus simply being acclimated to college life.  Even as simple as buying your groceries, kids haven't done much of that on their own.  Let alone class and "college life"... I understand Dasan is a little different circumstance, but still.  

[jk34]

Pretty sure the young man is getting pretty sound advice! 

[Old Friend]

On 8/26/2021 at 2:32 PM, IUc2016 said:

In December he will be finished with High school football. Doubt he plays a Spring sport so why wouldn't he graduate one semester early to come early to IU? I mean it's either December/January or June?

I understand the sports reasons.  I'm just no fan of trying to push the maturity of kids.  Senior year in high school is something you get to do once.  I just sent my oldest to college, and while he's already 19, he still wasn't all the way there mentally as far as being "ready."   Some people look at an athletic freak, see his body, and say "play up!   Go be with kids older than you are because you're READY!"  (He's a baseball player, and I expect nothing from him for a couple of years even though he's tall, strong, and fast; and a solid outfielder)   

I simply don't see it that way; and on a football team that has relatively high aspirations, I see no "need" to rush a kid along.   Maybe there are proven long term benefits.  I don't know of them, but maybe there are.  I guess I don't see the kid as the next shiny thing (nor any other kid on a college football team), and say he needs to get out of high school early.  Why take that away from a kid?  Yeah, he's done w high school football, but he's not done with high school. 

I'm just of a different mindset.   Whether a freshman in a good program arrives in January or June shouldn't make that much difference, because I feel if we're relying on him in the fall, we have bigger problems.   As an example, due to circumstances, the Big Ten is loaded with 6th year seniors this fall.  Some of those guys are 24 years old.   That matters in every corner of life when compared to an 18 year old.

[NashvilleHoosier]

1 hour ago, Old Friend said:

I understand the sports reasons.  I'm just no fan of trying to push the maturity of kids.  Senior year in high school is something you get to do once.  I just sent my oldest to college, and while he's already 19, he still wasn't all the way there mentally as far as being "ready."   Some people look at an athletic freak, see his body, and say "play up!   Go be with kids older than you are because you're READY!"  (He's a baseball player, and I expect nothing from him for a couple of years even though he's tall, strong, and fast; and a solid outfielder)   

I simply don't see it that way; and on a football team that has relatively high aspirations, I see no "need" to rush a kid along.   Maybe there are proven long term benefits.  I don't know of them, but maybe there are.  I guess I don't see the kid as the next shiny thing (nor any other kid on a college football team), and say he needs to get out of high school early.  Why take that away from a kid?  Yeah, he's done w high school football, but he's not done with high school. 

I'm just of a different mindset.   Whether a freshman in a good program arrives in January or June shouldn't make that much difference, because I feel if we're relying on him in the fall, we have bigger problems.   As an example, due to circumstances, the Big Ten is loaded with 6th year seniors this fall.  Some of those guys are 24 years old.   That matters in every corner of life when compared to an 18 year old.

Id normally be of a similar mindset. This young man seems to be in a particularly unique scenario. I may be wrong but didn’t he go to high school in Kansas City up until this year? So he may not be as close to friends in Btown as a typical senior in high school. And he’s only heading across town, where he’ll be with his dad and one of his brothers, can live at home if he wants and at any time head back across town to do high school things, minus actually being a student. All while getting to know the coaches, future teammates, defensive schemes, and take advantage of a college strength program. I can see both sides on this one.

[Hoosierfan2017]

2 hours ago, Old Friend said:

I understand the sports reasons.  I'm just no fan of trying to push the maturity of kids.  Senior year in high school is something you get to do once.  I just sent my oldest to college, and while he's already 19, he still wasn't all the way there mentally as far as being "ready."   Some people look at an athletic freak, see his body, and say "play up!   Go be with kids older than you are because you're READY!"  (He's a baseball player, and I expect nothing from him for a couple of years even though he's tall, strong, and fast; and a solid outfielder)   

I simply don't see it that way; and on a football team that has relatively high aspirations, I see no "need" to rush a kid along.   Maybe there are proven long term benefits.  I don't know of them, but maybe there are.  I guess I don't see the kid as the next shiny thing (nor any other kid on a college football team), and say he needs to get out of high school early.  Why take that away from a kid?  Yeah, he's done w high school football, but he's not done with high school. 

I'm just of a different mindset.   Whether a freshman in a good program arrives in January or June shouldn't make that much difference, because I feel if we're relying on him in the fall, we have bigger problems.   As an example, due to circumstances, the Big Ten is loaded with 6th year seniors this fall.  Some of those guys are 24 years old.   That matters in every corner of life when compared to an 18 year old.

What exactly are you “taking away” from a kid by having them leave high school to go to college? Sure, you only do high school once, but same with college (usually). Everyone I know would have taken an extra semester of college over a semester of high school any day of the week. Heck, I did a program at IU called IFS where you come  to IU a month early to take one class and it was a huge advantage for me going into my freshman year. And I was just a regular student.
 

Dasan is a top 50 recruit. It’s not at all unreasonable to expect a top 50 recruit to contribute right away as a freshman. It happens at lots of schools. Especially a player of his size. He’s 6’5, 230 pounds right now. He could be at 6’5 250-255 by next September if he comes in January.  And he’s going to want to contribute right away too. A semester in a P5 program going at it with P5 players is a massive advantage over a semester of screwing around in homeroom and worrying about what color tie to wear to prom. 

[Old Friend]

On 8/28/2021 at 5:17 PM, Hoosierfan2017 said:

What exactly are you “taking away” from a kid by having them leave high school to go to college? Sure, you only do high school once, but same with college (usually). Everyone I know would have taken an extra semester of college over a semester of high school any day of the week. Heck, I did a program at IU called IFS where you come  to IU a month early to take one class and it was a huge advantage for me going into my freshman year. And I was just a regular student.
 

Dasan is a top 50 recruit. It’s not at all unreasonable to expect a top 50 recruit to contribute right away as a freshman. It happens at lots of schools. Especially a player of his size. He’s 6’5, 230 pounds right now. He could be at 6’5 250-255 by next September if he comes in January.  And he’s going to want to contribute right away too. A semester in a P5 program going at it with P5 players is a massive advantage over a semester of screwing around in homeroom and worrying about what color tie to wear to prom. 

Spoken like a fan who thinks only of what he wants to see from an athlete and couldn't care less about the kid himself.   You're looking at his body (as I mentioned above) and making a determination on whether or not he's "ready."   You can't do that.   You're also making a lot of pretty elementary assumptions and straw man predictions (screwing around in homeroom, etc), which are cute; but also self serving and again, caring not one bit about the kid.

Everyone you know?   Why don't you ask them.  Because I know a whole lot of people and I disagree with you 100%.   I do love how you think you speak for "everyone," though.  

I coach basketball at the high school level.   Have for 13 years, and while only 3 of those as a head coach, I've been around some really good players.   One was also a football lineman.  He was 6'5" 285 in high school.  Best left tackle in the state and it really wasn't in question.  He had over 30 D1 offers (was a top 150 kid; which in football is no different than top 50); and could easily have elected to leave high school early and go to college.  But he didn't, and most of the reason was he was mentally not yet there and knew it, wanted to finish with his friends, wanted to enjoy his senior year, and despite his talent at the high school level; knew he wasn't ready to block 22 year old defensive ends.   Though he certainly could have started or at least been in the rotation.  Hurrying the process did nothing for him; and rarely does for kids.  Same thing on the same team for a baseball pitcher who ended up at Michigan.  His fastball was low 90's and he easily could have left early.  He didn't either.  Nor did the kid who pitched against my son and his team in sectionals who had a fastball mid-90's.  He's at Xavier now doing just fine.  How many other examples do you need?    

The kid I spoke of?  2 years later now the starting LT at a D1 school in Louisiana and the NFL is still in his future if he wants it.   It's not all about the body and not all about what fans want to see.   

[Hovadipo]

4 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

Spoken like a fan who thinks only of what he wants to see from an athlete and couldn't care less about the kid himself.   You're looking at his body (as I mentioned above) and making a determination on whether or not he's "ready."   You can't do that.   You're also making a lot of pretty elementary assumptions and straw man predictions (screwing around in homeroom, etc), which are cute; but also self serving and again, caring not one bit about the kid.

Everyone you know?   Why don't you ask them.  Because I know a whole lot of people and I disagree with you 100%.   I do love how you think you speak for "everyone," though.  

I coach basketball at the high school level.   Have for 13 years, and while only 3 of those as a head coach, I've been around some really good players.   One was also a football lineman.  He was 6'5" 285 in high school.  Best left tackle in the state and it really wasn't in question.  He had over 30 D1 offers (was a top 150 kid; which in football is no different than top 50); and could easily have elected to leave high school early and go to college.  But he didn't, and most of the reason was he was mentally not yet there and knew it, wanted to finish with his friends, wanted to enjoy his senior year, and despite his talent at the high school level; knew he wasn't ready to block 22 year old defensive ends.   Though he certainly could have started or at least been in the rotation.  Hurrying the process did nothing for him; and rarely does for kids.  Same thing on the same team for a baseball pitcher who ended up at Michigan.  His fastball was low 90's and he easily could have left early.  He didn't either.  Nor did the kid who pitched against my son and his team in sectionals who had a fastball mid-90's.  He's at Xavier now doing just fine.  How many other examples do you need?    

The kid I spoke of?  2 years later now the starting LT at a D1 school in Louisiana and the NFL is still in his future if he wants it.   It's not all about the body and not all about what fans want to see.    

Was that kid’s dad a coach at the school he was going to? Had he been around college and NFL football his entire life? Every situation is different. Dasan McCullough is ready to be in the college environment in just about every way imaginable. 

[Hoosierfan222]

This is such a stupid conversation, if the kid wants to go enroll early at IU and get more time with his brother and dad on campus who cares? In what way are you qualified to speak to whether he’s mentally mature enough to handle college?

[Hoosierfan2017]

1 hour ago, Old Friend said:

Spoken like a fan who thinks only of what he wants to see from an athlete and couldn't care less about the kid himself.     

Why are you always so needlessly hostile in every post? Dang. But it doesn’t really matter to me what he does. It’s his future, not mine. It’s my opinion that coming in January is what’s best for his football future. You make a lot of whether he’s “mentally ready for college.” The thing about time is that it passes regardless of what you do. Come June, he’ll be reporting for summer workouts. At that point he better be “mentally ready” for college. At that point he’s going to need to be able to compete with 22 year old men. He’s going to be doing it at every practice. What’s a better way for him to be prepared for college, by spending the next six months in a high school classroom and living at home, or living in a dorm and enrolling in college? 

1 hour ago, Old Friend said:

Everyone you know?   Why don't you ask them.  Because I know a whole lot of people and I disagree with you 100%.   I do love how you think you speak for "everyone," though.  

I coach basketball at the high school level.   Have for 13 years, and while only 3 of those as a head coach, I've been around some really good players.   One was also a football lineman.  He was 6'5" 285 in high school.  Best left tackle in the state and it really wasn't in question.  He had over 30 D1 offers (was a top 150 kid; which in football is no different than top 50); and could easily have elected to leave high school early and go to college.  But he didn't, and most of the reason was he was mentally not yet there and knew it, wanted to finish with his friends, wanted to enjoy his senior year, and despite his talent at the high school level; knew he wasn't ready to block 22 year old defensive ends.   Though he certainly could have started or at least been in the rotation.  Hurrying the process did nothing for him; and rarely does for kids.  Same thing on the same team for a baseball pitcher who ended up at Michigan.  His fastball was low 90's and he easily could have left early.  He didn't either.  Nor did the kid who pitched against my son and his team in sectionals who had a fastball mid-90's.  He's at Xavier now doing just fine.  How many other examples do you need?    

The kid I spoke of?  2 years later now the starting LT at a D1 school in Louisiana and the NFL is still in his future if he wants it.   It's not all about the body and not all about what fans want to see.   

Your anecdotes are great and all, but they don’t disprove what any of us pro-January start people are saying. No one has said that kids are screwed if they don’t start early in January. No one has said that kids can’t be successful if they don’t start in January. That’s great that you know some guys who didn’t come early and still succeeded. You’re countering an argument that no one has made. Why? Them not coming early and still succeeding doesn’t disprove the argument that coming early is an advantage. It just shows that kids can still succeed by not enrolling early, which was never disputed. You can’t say that “hurrying the process did nothing for player x” because, well, he didn’t “hurry the process.” The players you know didn’t enroll early, so you have no way of knowing what would have happened if they went early. 

Additionally, you talk about making memories with friends and such by finishing high school, but Dasan isn’t moving states. He’s not even moving cities. He’d still be in the same town as all his high school friends, and he’d also be able to make memories with his dad and brother at practice, etc. if he enrolls early.

It’s his decision and he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. He’ll have some great people with plenty of college and NFL experience advising him.

[kreigh8]

Can't even believe this is a debate. A high level recruit with NFL aspirations post-college wanting to get a headstart on his football career at our school of choice and there is pushback of growing up too soon so he can enjoy his senior prom and a graduation walk? What alternative reality did I just enter?