In a recent article written by NJAdvancedMedia’s Steve Politi, Rutgers wide receiver KJ Duff opened up about his decision to stay with the Scarlet Knights this offseason. He also got a moment to touch on his emotions during the standing ovation he got at Jersey Mike’s Arena when he announced that he would return for next season.
“People were just saying, ‘Thank you.” I didn’t even know what to say. I want to be here. I’m excited about the season myself,” said Duff in reaction to the crowd that blocked
his exit from Jersey Mike’s Arena on the day he announced his return.
In the interview that Duff had with Politi, he stated that one of the reasons why he wanted to return to Rutgers in particular is that he wanted to leave a lasting impact on the school that will be remembered years down the line.
“It’s just like, 30 or 40 years down the line, how are you going to be remembered at a place? Being here since my freshman year and working up to the position that I am now, I think I can have a chance to leave a very positive impact.”
The second reason that he mentioned in the article is that he believes that Rutgers is the best place to be as he continues to develop as a player.
“Just the fact of playing for Dave Brock,” he said, referring to Rutgers wide receivers coach. “He’s believed in me from when I was a recruit, and I’ve learned so much under him. So being here and playing for him was really one of the biggest things for me.”
Duff was a key retention priority for Rutgers during the offseason and for good reason. His production last year speaks for itself. On top of that, the Knights will have a new quarterback slinging the ball next season. Whether it be AJ Surace or portal pickup Dylan Lonergan, Rutgers wants to surround these two with as many capable weapons as possible to make their adjustments easier. It was also stated in the article by Politi that Duff said he is not worried about who throws him the ball next season.
His retention, in addition to the retention of running back Antwan Raymond, shows that the Knights might be faring better in the NIL space than they have in years past, as both of them likely received very lucrative offers from top-tier programs.
If Duff can continue his development and upward trajectory next season, the Rutgers coaching staff could have another high draft pick to point to when showing the success of their former players in the NFL. This will help them in both their high school recruiting efforts and their transfer portal recruiting efforts.
A link to the article written by Politi can be found here.
