As Indiana coach Tom Allen has continued to elevate the profile of Hoosiers football, Allen likewise has had to deal with relatively steady staff losses in recent seasons as teams try to pluck from Allen's Bloomington, Indiana, crew.
It's happened a couple notable times this offseason, as first IU defensive coordinator Kane Wommack accepted the head coaching position at South Alabama. Then last month, running backs coach Mike Hart returned to his alma mater, Michigan, to join Jim Harbaugh's vastly overhauled staff.
Allen appears poised to dip into the NFL while simultaneously reuniting with an old colleague to fill the Hoosiers' final on-field vacancy at running backs coach.
Multiple sources tell FootballScoop on Monday that Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach Deland McCullough is expected to rejoin Allen and the Hoosiers' staff as associate head coach / running backs, barring any last-minute complications to an agreement.
Allen previously hired Charlton Warren away from Kirby Smart's Georgia staff to fill the Hoosiers' defensive coordinator role.
McCullough, who previously served as Indiana's running backs coach for six seasons from 2011-2016 and overlapped in '16 as Allen was the Hoosiers' defensive coordinator, has emerged this coaching cycle as a prime prospect with multiple colleges interested, sources told FootballScoop.
He and Allen have maintained a strong relationship through the years.
Though McCullough has spent the past three seasons coaching the Chiefs' running backs, advancing to the AFC Championship in Year 1, followed by Super Bowl appearances each of the past two seasons, he has primarily coached in the collegiate ranks. McCullough's collegiate stops that precede his NFL time include a year at Miami (Ohio) as an intern in the program, the six seasons at IU and the 2017 campaign at the University of Southern Cal.
The Hoosiers are coming off one of the program's most successful seasons in six decades. They defeated Michigan and Penn State, advanced to the Outback Bowl and finished the No. 12 team in the Associated Press' final Top 25.
As always, stay tuned to the The Scoop for the latest.
Update> Indiana has now announced the hire.