According to a source, Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman will look for a new running back coach after Deland McCullough accepted the same position with the Las Vegas Raiders.
McCullough had been with Notre Dame since 2022, when Freeman took over as head coach, and was promoted to run game coordinator in 2023.
The move itself is not particularly surprising. McCullough, one of the top running back coaches in the country at any level, has had substantial NFL interest since his return to college football in 2021.
Notre Dame’s running backs have prospered under McCullough, with Audric Estimè finishing with 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023 and Jeremiyah Love developing into one of the nation’s most explosive players at any position in 2024, rushing for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns.
McCullough also established depth at Notre Dame, where Jadarian Price has 1,018 running yards and 10 touchdowns in the last two seasons. In 2022, Notre Dame was on the verge of having two 1,000-yard backs, as Estimè finished with 920 yards and Logan Diggs with 820.
According to an ISD source, McCullough would most likely not take another NFL position until Andy Reid or Pete Carroll phoned. Carroll was hired by Las Vegas at the end of January, and the move will most certainly help McCullough achieve his long-term ambition of becoming a college coach.
McCullough was linked to the head coaching positions at Ball State and Ohio this offseason.
Freeman will now look for a running back coach, which should not be difficult given Notre Dame’s depth and quality.
The McCullough File
2010: Miami (Ohio) Offense and Special Teams Intern/Running Backs
2011-16: Indiana Running Backs
2017: USC Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs
2018-20: Kansas City Chiefs Running Backs
2021:Â Indiana Associate Head Coach/Running Backs
2022: Notre Dame Running Backs
2023-2024: Notre Dame Running Backs/Run Game Coordinator
