Indianapolis Lawrence North quarterback Donaven McCulley started to see communication with Purdue pick up following the lifting of contact restrictions on Sept. 1. Much of that communication was with Purdue Player Personnel Director Eron Hodges, and a phone call between the two parties on Monday resulted in a scholarship offer.
“I have been talking to Purdue for a couple weeks now,” McCulley said. “After I got done having a conversation with coach (Jeff) Brohm (Monday evening), Eron got back on the phone and told me they were offering me. He said I am their No. 1 guy on the board for quarterbacks.”
Brohm is now in his third year as the head coach of Purdue, giving McCulley time to assess how his skill sets fits with the Boilermaker’s offense.
“I feel like my style is something they haven’t had in awhile,” McCulley said. “They usually have pocket passers, but I feel me with my legs and arm talent, if I went to Purdue we’d be really good.”
McCulley has yet to make a recruiting visit to Purdue, but he is trying to line up something in the next couple weeks to attend a game in West Lafayette and experience the campus and program first-hand.
“I didn’t grow up following them, but I had three cousins who went there and they told me a lot about it,” McCulley said. “They were student-athletes and they just said it was one of the best experiences they’ve had in their lives.”
Prior to Purdue, McCulley had received scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Indiana, Bowling Green and Central Michigan.
“IU I probably have the best relationship with,” McCulley said. “I talk to the quarterback coach and me and coach (Tom) Allen text back and forth sometimes, so that relationship is good.”
Besides the schools that have offered, McCulley has seen increased interest from the like of Kansas, Missouri, Louisville and Michigan State since the contact restrictions were lifted on Sept. 1.