McCulley had a very good 2023 season, notching 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns. He entered the transfer portal after new coach Curt Cignetti was hired, but he withdrew and came back to compete. But Cignetti added several receivers from the portal, and after McCulley was injured in the opener and missed week two, the writing appeared to be on the wall. He notched two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown before entering the portal in October.

McCulley will be able to play a redshirt season in 2025 wherever he transfers, having played in only four games in 2024. It appeared he and Cignetti were never really on the same page, per The Daily Hoosier.

“I think Donaven needs to pick it up a little bit,” Cignetti said in April … and at Big Ten media day, the first-year IU head coach added, “He needs to continue to develop, play in and play out. I don’t want him to be a sometime guy. I want him to be an every down, every play guy, that we can count on.”

TDH reported in fall camp McCulley said he wanted to be challenged by the new staff.

“I told (Cignetti) to coach me hard,” McCulley said in August. “Do what you need to do. Him getting on me in the spring and challenging me helped me really learn how he operates and learn how the team operates. I took the initiative to really get in my playbook more and master the playbook.”

Now, he’ll be doing it at Michigan, hoping to make an immediate impact in a room that really needs playmakers.