Deland McCullough enters his third year with the Chiefs as the running backs coach in 2020.
In 2019, McCullough led a running back by committee attack. The Chiefs rushed for 1,569 yards and 16 touchdowns as a team. RB Damien Williams tied for longest and for the fourth-longest touchdown runs from scrimmage in 2019, scoring a 91-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 and an 84-yard touchdown in Week 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In 2018, the Chiefs rushed for 1,855 yards and 16 touchdowns as a team. He also helped fifth-year RB Damien Williams become a breakout star late in the season. Over the last four games of the season, Williams rushed for 217 yards and four touchdowns with 135 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Williams went on to score four touchdowns in the postseason, the most by any Chiefs player in franchise history, under McCullough's leadership.
McCullough joined the Chiefs after spending the 2017 season as USC's running backs coach/run game coordinator. Prior to USC, he spent six years at Indiana University as the running backs coach. During his seven years in college football, McCullough coached seven 1,000+ total yard running backs and five consecutive 1,000+ yard rushers. His running backs were recognized as All-Conference nine times and two were All-American.
He mentored NFL running backs Stephen Houston, Tevin Coleman, Jordan Howard, Devine Redding and Ronald Jones.
Prior to entering college coaching, McCullough served initially as a High School Head Football Coach/Teacher (2001-2004), Athletic Director (2002-2009), then Principal (2004-2010) at Harmony Community High School. He earned a Masters of Education in instructional design at American Intercontinental University and still holds Principals Certification in Educational Leadership.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, McCullough attended Miami (Ohio) and graduated in 1996 as the all-time leading rusher for the Redhawks and the Mid-American Conference. He went on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons (1996-97), before joining the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers for two seasons (1998-99) and the XFL's Chicago Enforcers for one season (2001).
Education: Miami (Ohio) (B.A. 1996, M.Ed. 2004). Born: Youngstown, Ohio. Family: Wife - Darnell; Sons - Deland II, Dasan, Daeh and Diem.
