Wilpolt makes first move, gets McCullough
Published on March 11, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Albany/Indiana Firebirds News Release
INDIANAPOLIS â Mike Wilpolt took less than one full day in his new position as head coach of the Indiana Firebirds before working out his first trade. Wilpolt has agreed to send WR/DB Scotty Lindsey to Georgia in exchange for WR/LB Andy McCullough. The trade sends Lindsey back to the team he played for the past two seasons and gives the Firebirds another one of the top scoring threats in all of the AFL.
McCullough (6'4, 210) is in his third season in the AFL. Last season with the Dallas Desparados he caught 96 passes for 1,215 yards and 24 touchdowns. On defense, the former University of Tennessee Volunteer set career-highs in tackles (22.5), interceptions (2), fumble recoveries (3), passes defended (4). He finished as the team's career leader in scoring, touchdown receptions and yards. McCullough was named to the AFL All-Rookie Team in 2002 and in 2003 he, along with teammate Dialleo Burks, accounted for two-thirds of the Desparados #1 ranked offense.
In 2001, McCullough was allocated to NFL Europe by the Oakland Raiders and finished the season fourth in the league with 41 receptions for 460 yards and three touchdowns. In 1999, when he was first sent overseas, McCullough ranked second in the league in receiving yards (883), third in touchdowns (11) and fourth in receptions (48). He recorded six receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns in garnering World Bowl MVP honors in Frankfurt's 38-24 victory over the Barcelona Dragons. McCullough was selected in the seventh round (204th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
A college teammate of the now highest-paid player in the NFL and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, McCullough finished his college career with 59 receptions for 903 yards. As a senior in 1997, he finished sixth on the team with 22 receptions for 425 yards (19.3 avg) and three touchdowns. Against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl he caught three passes for 50 yards, including a game-long 29-yarder.
"Any time you can add a player of Andy's caliber, and it doesn't disrupt your current situation, it improves your football team", Wilpolt said. "We feel like adding a guy who caught 178 passes the last two seasons to the receivers that we already have in Mike (Horacek), Brett (Bech), Evan (Hlavacek) and Anthony (Hines) definitely gives us a chance to do some fun things offensively the rest of the season".
Lindsey (5'9, 170), who was signed as a free agent by the Firebirds this off-season, returns to the team he spent the 2002 and 2003 AFL season playing for. Through the first five games Lindsey had recorded 8.5 tackles and two pass breakups for the âBirds.
Firebirds' single game and group tickets for the 2004 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling a Firebirds' ticket representative at 317.472.8080. Firebirds merchandise is also available at Home Court Gift Shop. For merchandise information, please call 317.917.2755.
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