Hendersonville’s Daly Cull is a blue-collar Commando

Every time a Hendersonville player touches the football on offense, senior Daly Cull has a hand in it – literally.

Cull moved to center from tackle to begin the new season and is embracing the role.

It’s also allowed him to keep honoring another member of the Commando family – his late brother, D.J., who passed away in a car accident in 2013.

Cull said his older brother has always been – and continues to be – an inspiration and a role model to him. It’s quickly evident in seeing him on the field, as he wears the same number D.J. wore during his time in a Commando uniform.

“His freshman year, he wore number 50 because of Coach (Kris) Bundy – Coach Bundy is really kind of like our second dad,” Cull said. “When he moved up to varsity, someone already had the number 50, so he got 54 because of (former Chicago Bears linebacker) Brian Urlacher. D.J. was almost 10 years older than me, so when he got that number, I was playing in the little leagues and I got 54.”

Cull almost didn’t get the same number, however.

“Since I was seven, I wore number 54,” Cull said. “My freshman year, I was worried about not getting (the number) after he passed away, because Deven Kincaid wore 54, but he was moving to tight end, so he changed numbers to 86 and it worked out fine.”

Cull said his game is a little different than his brother’s was, if only because they weren’t exactly the same size.

“I’m about five inches taller and about 100 pounds heavier than he was,” Cull said. “He was a linebacker and a guard, and he was quick at linebacker – and he could hit. All of his friends said if you saw him coming, you needed to get out of his way at practice.”

Commando head coach Bruce Hatfield said Cull takes a lot of the same traits as his brother.

“D.J. was awesome,” Hatfield said. “He was cut from the same mold as Daly. D.J. was so proud of Daly, and I know that’s why (Daly) wants to do well this year.”

Cull started almost right away for the Commandos in 2014 as a sophomore, and made the transition from tackle to center during this past offseason.

“I’ve been doing a lot of offseason stuff, so that’s really helped my transition,” Cull said. “Moving from tackle to center – they’re two totally different positions – but I like it.”

Cull expects to play center in college, thus making his transition to the position that much more important. He’s received some help from another former Commando – Joe Townsend – who started at center for three years at Vanderbilt University.

“He’s been a role model to me in many different ways,” Cull said of Townsend.

As the Commandos prepare to host Siegel in Hendersonville’s home opener on Friday, Cull is one of the leaders of a squad that many consider to be a state contender in Class 5A.

And he still expects to have a butterfly or two before taking the field.

“I’ve been coming here ever since I can remember,” Cull said. “It was always packed. You can always hear cowbells or air horns. I don’t get nervous much, but that first home opener is something different. Many kids don’t get to experience something like this, especially with the student section we have.”

Hatfield said he knows what kind of effort he’ll get from his starting center, who also starts at defensive tackle.

“You know you can count on him,” Hatfield said. “He’s going to play his best and his hardest for his high school and his community.”

Several FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) schools have already shown interest, and Cull recently received a call from Memphis as well.

Even with the interest, Cull said it wasn’t all about football.

“I just want to get my school paid for,” Cull said.

It’s that kind of blue-collar attitude that defines not only Cull, but his family and the Commando program, Hatfield added.

“The whole family has meant something to the community and the program,” Hatfield said. “Not only Daly, but the whole family. They’re hard-working, blue-collar – what we want to represent Commando football.”

Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @CB_SumnerSports, and on Snapchat @cbrooksgne.