Running backs coach Deland McCullough bids farewell to Notre Dame with heartfelt statement
On Saturday morning, Notre Dame running backs coach Deland McCullough announced his departure from the Fighting Irish football program with a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Blue & Gold confirmed Thursday night that McCullough was headed back to the NFL to coach running backs for the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders have yet to announce the addition of McCullough.
But McCullough has bid his farewell to Notre Dame and changed the location on his X profile to Las Vegas.
“I would like to thank (head coach) Marcus Freeman, (current and former director of athletics) Pete Bevacqua & Jack Swarbrick for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this great University and staff. Thank you to Notre Dame staff & community for embracing me and my family the last 3 years. Together, we made Team Glory and Reaching Our Full Potential a rallying call that has the Irish on the brink of consistent championship runs!!!
“As always, special shout out to all my RBs over the last 3 years!!! The mutual trust, respect, and bond we built will last far beyond the successes we experienced on the football field. You guys bought into The Standard & made being D3 a part of life. You guys were MY WHY during my tenure. Keep runnin yall race cause yall know we always connected & I am always watching!!!
“Notre Dame football, Go Be Great!!!”
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McCullough spent three seasons in charge of Notre Dame’s running backs. He’s overseen some spectacular seasons for Fighting Irish tailbacks, from Audric Estimé in 2023 to Jeremiyah Love last year.
McCullough did not recruit and sign Estimé, but he coached him through a 1,341-yard season a couple years ago. He sealed the deal on Love’s signing, meanwhile, and helped him put forth an immaculate season for the sophomore in which Love ran 162 times for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns.
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The Estimé outburst in 2023 was a bit of an anomaly in terms of McCullough’s tutelage. His calling card at Notre Dame was relying on multiple players to produce a widespread product. Junior Jadarian Price, for instance, ran 120 times for 746 yards and 7 touchdowns in the 2024 season. In 2022, Estimé shared the backfield with Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree. They all reached at least 100 carries in that season and combined for 1,586 rushing yards among the trio.
Freeman nabbed McCullough from Indiana after the 2021 season. McCullough was the associate head coach and running backs coach for the Hoosiers for that lone campaign. Previously, he was the running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018-20. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs during that stint.
The Miami (Ohio) graduate began his college coaching career as an intern at his alma mater in 2010. He was Indiana’s running backs coach from 2011-16 before holding the same time at USC in 2017.
McCullough got rising senior running back Gi’Bran Payne to transfer to Notre Dame from Indiana after the 2021 season. His son, Deland McCullough II, is an analyst focusing on high school relations on the Notre Dame coaching staff. McCullough was only in South Bend for three years, but he made major inroads by way of recruiting, developing and coaching. His presence will be missed.
