Latest news with #DonavenMcCulley
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Why Donaven McCulley switched from quarterback to Michigan football wide receiver
Why Donaven McCulley switched from quarterback to Michigan football wide receiver Michigan football has a new No. 1 receiver, both literally and figuratively. This offseason, the Wolverines brought in former Indiana quarterback and wideout Donaven McCulley, who made the switch to receiver full time two years ago while still in Bloomington. Now that he's in Ann Arbor, the 6-foot-5 pass catcher isn't just expected to be the top target for the maize and blue offense, but he also switched from wearing No. 13 to No. 1 after the spring game. But usually, players yearn to be the man under center, with the ball in their hands every play. However, for McCulley, it made sense for him to make that switch to receiver in 2023, and he hasn't looked back. "I grew up playing quarterback, and that was just how I was raised wanting to be the quarterback," McCulley told Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches Podcast. "But as I got older, I started to grow a little more, get taller, and stuff. And I just noticed I had like really good hands and that was just something that I really wanted to do, play receiver." Though McCulley isn't looking back in terms of wanting to throw darts around The Big House (he already did that as the IU starting QB in 2021), he is grateful that he had the opportunity. Not just because that was part of his childhood dream, but also because it helps him as a receiver. He explained that knowing what the quarterback wants to do, how he reads the wide receiver routes, ball placement, and more, that it's helped him become better once he made the switch to pass catcher. "It helped me a lot like with understanding where the quarterback wants me to be," McCulley said. "Coming to college, I feel like I didn't really get to experience that next level of the quarterback position because I switched so early. But just playing it like really my whole life, I just kind of understand like how the quarterback is going to throw this football or where he's going to be looking like when he scrambles out or something like that. And I think that just kind of helps build chemistry." Fans will get an opportunity to see more of McCulley than they did in the spring game (where he had one catch on one target) come August 30 when the Wolverines host New Mexico for the season opener.
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Is Michigan football a top 15 team in 2025? USA TODAY Sports thinks so
Some hype is starting to build around Michigan football as the Wolverines are set to avenge the five losses of the 2024 season. With Bryce Underwood likely at quarterback and some new offensive weapons in Donaven McCulley and Justice Haynes, that side of the ball should be somewhat resurgent. All the while, despite losing four defensive players to the NFL, the defensive attack should still be dominant -- perhaps even more so in the second year of Wink Martindale's system. USA TODAY Sports put out its new too-early, post-spring top 25 and the Wolverines came in ranked at No. 15 overall. 15. Michigan (8-5) (18) If the final weeks of last season are to be believed, Michigan is poised to reclaim a place among the top teams in the Big Ten. One reason for optimism is the clear upgrade at QB, whether it's Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene or five-star freshman Bryce Underwood under center. But Underwood may need more time after making incremental progress as an early enrollee playing in spring drills. The Wolverines should be very strong on both lines even as the defense loses a star in tackle Mason Graham. Despite losing nearly the whole defensive side of the ball, both running backs, the starting quarterback, and both coordinators, the list has Ohio State atop at No. 1. Penn State comes in ranked No. 2, but the maize and blue do not play the Nittany Lions this season. OSU aside, the only teams that the Wolverines play that are ranked are No. 22 Nebraska and No. 25 Oklahoma. Get past those teams, and Michigan could end up having a very good season. Other ranked Big Ten teams include No. 8 Oregon and No. 13 Illinois -- two teams that the Wolverines lost to a year ago but do not play this year.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Highly Touted Michigan Transfer Honors Program Legends With Latest Number Change
The Michigan Wolverines are a college football program steeped in tradition with the most wins in college football history, more Big Ten titles than any other program and a national championship game win in 2024 against the Washington Huskies. The Wolverines have had counted three Heisman Trophy winners among their all-time roster of players and plenty of others have made a lifelong impact in the Maize and Blue. Advertisement On Friday, one of the Wolverines' most highly touted offseason transfer additions, wide receiver Donoaven McCulley, decided to pay tribute to several of the Wolverines' all-time greats at the wide receiver position as he unveiled his latest number change. Michigan's Donaven McCulley before his recent number change at the 2025 Spring Game. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "WR Donaven McCulley will officially rock the #1 this season for Michigan," the X page Blue By 90 wrote on Friday along with a picture of the new jersey for the former Indiana Hoosiers wideout. The number one jersey is a prized tradition in the Michigan football program as the number has been worn by former superstars including David Terrell, Braylon Edwards, Anthony Carter and others in Ann Arbor. Advertisement McCulley has garnered hype as a potential deep threat and star wideout this coming season for the Wolverines since he left Bloomington, Indiana this offseason. He will likely catch passes from freshman Bryce Underwood or Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene this season, if not both Michigan quarterbacks or perhaps Jadyn Davis or Davis Warren. Related: Michigan Legend Charles Woodson's Son Cracks National Recruit Rankings for 2027
