Junior College Defensive Back Tyrik McDaniel commits to Indiana University Football for 2023 Indiana secured its first commitment of the offseason as JUCO defensive back Tyrik McDaniel announced his pledge to the Hoosiers. McDaniel was originally committed to East Carolina but re-opened his recruitment following his visit to Indiana over the weekend. McDaniel played for Independence (Kan.) Community College last season and totaled 41 tackles, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two sacks in five games. He was part of the 2022 All-Conference Team.
Indiana lost numerous players from the secondary, both experienced and young talent. The staff is looking for McDaniel to come in and make an impact in the locker room and on the field. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound McDaniel is originally from Dutch Fork (SC) High School. He committed to Old Dominion out of high school. He played in 13 games for ODU as a freshman and totaled 10 tackles. McDaniel will have two years of eligibility remaining unless he receives a medical redshirt for missing the second half of last season with a broken hand, which would give him three years in Bloomington.
Former Indiana University Football player Dasan McCullough announces transfer to Oklahoma Brent Venables and Oklahoma have made a splash in the transfer portal. Indiana edge rusher Dasan McCullough committed to the Sooners after officially visiting the Big 12 power over the weekend. McCullough was ranked as the No. 61 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle. He was rated as a 6.0 four-star recruit by Rivals and landed at No. 5 at his position in the final rankings. His addition provides Venables and the Sooners with a high-ceiling player with a year of college experience under his belt.
The blue-chipper made a major impact with the Hoosiers during his true freshman season. He played in all 12 games this season, making 49 total tackles and totaling 6.5 tackles for loss. The newest Sooners defender earned Freshman All-American honors from multiple publications. McCullough’s decision to commit to Oklahoma comes in addition to his younger brother, Daeh, flipping from Cincinnati and choosing the Sooners. Both should play key roles during their careers in Norman. Dasan McCollough is currently ranked as a top-five player in the Rivals Transfer Portal Rankings.
Former Indiana University Kicker Charles Campbell transfers to Tennessee Former Indiana kicker Charles Campbell announced that he is transferring to the University of Tennessee. Campbell, a Jackson, Tenn. native, will spend his sixth and final year of collegiate eligibility with the Volunteers and coach Josh Heupel. Tennessee is coming off its first 10-win season since 2007- and first-time ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll since 2001. The Volunteers jumped to No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Nov. 1 following notable wins over LSU, Alabama and Kentucky. But after losing to Georgia and South Carolina, Tennessee dropped out of the College Football Playoff and will face Clemson in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
Aside from playing for his home-state school, Tennessee’s situation at kicker was obviously a deciding factor for Campbell. Tennessee kicker Chase McGrath is wrapping up his sixth and final year of college football, creating an opening for Campbell to step in and play right away. After using a redshirt season, Campbell first made a name for himself during the 2019 Old Oaken Bucket game at Purdue when he replaced Logan Justus, who missed all three field goal attempts. Campbell confidently nailed a 44-yard field goal in cold and rainy conditions to give Indiana a 31-23 lead with 5:08 left in regulation. Indiana would go on to win 44-41 in overtime, its most recent win over Purdue.
For the next three seasons, Campbell was a steady presence for Indiana’s special teams unit. He finished his Indiana career a perfect 73-for-73 on extra points and 39-for-51 on field goals. Campbell is eighth among Indiana kickers with 39 made field goals, and he’s ranks second in program history behind Pete Stoyanovich with five career 50-yard field goals. Campbell drilled a 55-yard field goal at Maryland on Oct. 30, 2021, which is tied with Scott Bonnell for the second-longest field goal in program history behind Griffin Oakes’ 58-yard kick in 2014. Campbell memorably hit a 51-yard game-winning field goal in overtime to defeat Western Kentucky and move Indiana to 3-0 early in the 2022 season. Campbell went 3-for-3 against Illinois and 4-for-4 against Western Kentucky, but had an uncharacteristic end to the 2022 season, going 1-for-2 against Michigan State and 1-for-3 against Purdue. With Campbell gone, Indiana will likely turn to incoming freshman Nicolas Radicic, the No. 3 kicker in the class of 2023, according to Kohl’s Professional Camps. Radicic is a senior at Coppell High School in Texas and like Campbell, he’ll play in the 2023 All-American Bowl.
Purdue University names Ryan Walters head football coach The search for Purdue’s head football coach is over. The university announced Ryan Walters as the man replacing Jeff Brohm, who announced his departure last week. Walters will be leaving his defensive coordinator role at Illinois where during his latest season, “the Illini posted an 8-4 record, with five wins holding their opponents under seven points and seven wins at 10 points or fewer,” according to a release. Walters was also named 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year and On3 Coordinator of the Year this season for his work with the Illini. At just 36, he becomes the fourth youngest coach in FBS football behind Kenny Dillingham (32-Arizona State), Kane Wommack (35-South Alabama) and Dan Lanning (36-Oregon), said Purdue.
His contract is for five years and is pending formal approval by the University’s Board of Trustees. Walters spent the past two seasons at Illinois and had a six-season stint at Missouri before that. He was also the cornerbacks coach at Memphis in 2014. The Aurora, Colorado native played as a safety at Colorado (2004-08) and started 33 times in 46 career appearances as a Buffalo and earned All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention his senior season. Walters earned his degree in history from the University of Colorado with dual majors in history and ethnic studies. Walters and his wife Tara have two sons, Aaron and Cason. He will be introduced at a welcome event that will be streamed live on Purdue Football social media at noon today at the Kozuch Football Performance Complex. Last week, Jeff Brohm signed a six-year contract with a base salary of $5 million to coach at the University of Louisville, his alma mater.
Former Indianapolis Colts player T.Y. Hilton signs with the Dallas Cowboys Retirement will have to wait for T.Y. Hilton. The former standout receiver with the Indianapolis Colts is signing a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Hilton, 33, visited with the Cowboys Monday. The team believes he represents a boost for an offense that ranks 4th in total yards per game, 20th in passing and 3rd in scoring. It also considered free agent Odell Beckham Jr.
Dallas is in position for at least a wild-card playoff berth. The Cowboys’ 10-3 record trails 12-1 Philadelphia in the NFC East but has a firm lock on the No. 5 seeding in the conference. Hilton fashioned a prolific 10-year career with the Colts but has been a free agent since his contract expired in March. He last played in Indy’s week 18 loss at Jacksonville on Jan. 9 when he had two catches for 39 yards. The Colts selected Hilton in the third round of the 2012 draft, and he made an immediate impression and lasting impact.
He was named to four Pro Bowls, and his 631 receptions are tied for 3rd in franchise history with Raymond Berry and behind Marvin Harrison (1,102) and Reggie Wayne (1,070). His 9,691 yards trail only Harrison (14,580) and Wayne (14.345). Hilton’s 55 receiving touchdowns are 4th, and his 34 100-yard games are 3rd. Hilton’s trademark was exploiting defenses for big games. He generated a 223-yard game at Houston in 2014, which remains the club’s second-most yards in a regular-season game. Hilton set franchise post-season records with 13 catches for 224 yards against Kansas City in a 2013 wild-card game.
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