Dasan McCullough expresses desire to be leader for Oklahoma

Landing former top-100 recruit Dasan McCullough in the transfer portal this offseason was one of the most important moves of the offseason for Oklahoma. Head coach Brent Venables clearly has big goals for the outside linebacker but those goals don’t stop on the field.

Venables wants the rising sophomore to be a leader on the defense and is going out of his way to connect and work with the young difference maker.

“Since I’ve been here coach Venables has made it clear he wants me to be a leader,” McCullough said recently. “Just having him right by my side, just helping me out with all these little things, made me the best linebacker I could be. You can’t ask for any more. It’s great.”

McCullough arrived in Oklahoma from Indiana, where he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection as a true freshman last fall.

Coming out of Bloomington (Ind.) Bloomington South, McCullough ranked as the No. 97 overall recruit and No. 10 EDGE in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking. The On3 Industry is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four major recruiting media services. The On3 Industry Ranking is the most advanced, complete and unbiased rating and ranking measurement in the industry. 

He was also highly ranked this offseason in On3’s Transfer Player Rankings, slotting in as the No. 25 overall player. Among players marked as EDGEs, McCulloigh ranked second behind Anthony Lucas, who transferred from Texas A&M to USC.

While McCullough was the top player the Sooners landed in the portal, there were plenty of others who elected to take their talents to Oklahoma. The team landed 13 players in the portal, including former Wake Forest defensive end Rondell Bothroyd, former Notre Dame defensive lineman Jacob Lacey, former Michigan wide receiver Andrel Anthony and former South Carolina tight end Austin Stogner. Stogner started his career with the Sooners.

After Oklahoma’s spring game this past weekend, Venables mentioned how happy he was with how the transfers were growing in the team’s system.

“There’s a lot still in front of us, but even prior to today I’ve been incredibly pleased with the work, the buy-in, the humility, the competitiveness and the play,” Venables said. “It certainly hasn’t been perfect with any of ’em, but there’s signs that we’re moving in the right direction. Bringing those guys in are making everyone around them better. Certainly they’re gonna be able to help us.”