Michigan WR Donaven McCulley explains why he had to wait to transfer in
ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Wolverines added wide receiver Donaven McCulley to the roster this offseason to address size and production needs at the position. The two had been linked going back to last year’s portal cycle, but it did not work out.
Now, fresh off a redshirt season at Indiana, McCulley finally gets to come to a place he was hoping to call home a few offseasons ago.
”For me, just a new environment and new goals,” McCulley told the media on Wednesday afternoon in Ann Arbor. “Just being able to take my game to the next level here and just being a part of something great.”
McCulley had a very good 2023 season, notching 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns with the Hoosisers, but did not make an impact early in the 2024 season under new head coach Curt Cignetti. Still, Michigan coveted him and saw him as a fit.
“They kind of showed me like what they wanted to do in the passing game and bringing in Coach Lindsay helped a lot,” McCulley said. “[They brought] in quarterbacks and you got guys that could really throw the ball.”
McCulley was looking to transfer to Michigan after the 2023 season, but was not able to make it academically feasible until he earned a degree from Indiana.
”Last year I couldn’t really get accepted into Michigan,” McCulley said. “Because I had to graduate and stuff like that. It was like really hard getting in here. So I guess just joining and jumping in the portal again, just made a perfect fit this time. And then Coach Bellamy, Coach Moore, they’re always great. I knew this was a great spot to land at.”
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McCulley fell out of the pecking order with Cignetti and the Hoosers last year, and he says that is something he hopes to use as fuel for this season at Michigan.
”A hundred percent,” McCulley said. “{I’m going into every situation with a chip on my shoulder. Head on straight, tunnel vision. I’m just here to add to the greatness that’s already here. … My goals for the 2025 season are to be the best Big Ten receiver, lead the receiver room with a 1,000 yards and have 10 touchdowns. That’s just the standard that I hold myself to.”
McCulley started his career at quarterback at Indiana, and is actually one of the few players on the Michigan roster who has thrown a touchdown pass at the Big House, which came on a gadget play in 2023.
”After my freshman year, I kind of knew that I wanted to make the transition to receiver,” McCulley said. “At first it was a little rocky, like understanding how to move and things like that. But now it’s like, of course I’m still learning, but like now it’s kind of natural to me.
”I would say me playing quarterback in college for like six months it didn’t really help me take that quarterback game to the next level, I guess. But understanding like where the quarterback wants me to be or how he’s gonna throw a football, like I think that helped tremendously.”
