Rutgers Star KJ Duff Reveals Why He Nearly Left Before Choosing Legacy

Rutgers wide receiver KJ Duff Jr came closer to leaving the program than previously known.

During a Y-Option interview with Yogi Roth published Wednesday, Duff revealed that he told head coach Greg Schiano and wide receivers coach Dave Brock he wanted to leave following his breakout 2025 season. Duff ultimately decided to withdraw from the transfer portal, citing his relationship with the coaching staff and the opportunity to try to leave a lasting mark at the Rutgers University program.

“I never really said this before to anybody, but I was ready to leave,” Duff said. “I wanted to leave at some point.”

Duff’s decision to forgo the Transfer Portal came after a successful season of playing for Rutgers. The season resulted in Duff establishing himself as one of the nation’s most productive receivers to play in the Big Ten Conference. However, that success translated into making him a very attractive transfer candidate. Duff will have to weigh up what more is on offer at another school against the solid foundation he has built at his current school in Piscataway.

“It was some of the most stressful times of my life trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” Duff said. “It was really one day, ‘All right, I’m going to go,’ and the next day, ‘No, I think I’m going to stay.’ It just kept going back and forth.”

Duff Put the Decision on Paper

Schiano encouraged Duff to determine what mattered most to him. Schiano and Brock also met with Duff’s family, including having breakfast with his parents, as the receiver worked through the decision.

Duff began to use a notebook to compile a list of positive and negative factors to consider. In the end, the advantages of remaining at Rutgers outweighed those of leaving.

“I could go somewhere else and go play in front of 105,000 people, whatever you want to call it, a cool atmosphere,” Duff said. “But that atmosphere alone is not going to get me to the NFL. The coaches, the people I’m around, that really matters.”

Brock's influence was substantial, as Rutgers was one of the only programs that ever recruited Duff as a WR recruit. While most other programs felt Duff (6-6) would be a great Tight End recruit, Brock had Duff pegged as a receiver who could be a game-changer at the position.

Duff’s relationship with Schiano and Brock, as well as his desire to leave a mark at Rutgers, in the end led him to decide to stay at Rutgers rather than start over somewhere else.

“I’m thinking years down the line, bringing my kids back here,” Duff said. “Like, ‘Yeah, this is where your dad played.’ Hopefully, set some records maybe. But just stuff like that meaningful stuff.”

KJ Duff Jr — Oct 18, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Kj Duff (8) makes a catch during the second half in front of Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rutgers Retains a Proven National Playmaker

In the 2025 season, Duff caught 60 passes for 1,084 yards and 7 touchdowns, earning him the honor of being the 1st Rutgers receiver in 11 years to gain over 1,000 yards in a season (Leonte Carroo- 1,897 yds- 2014). The season included 241 yards on six catches in a 27-24 victory over the Boilermakers, the second most receiving yards by a Scarlet Knight in a single game in school history.

According to Pro Football Focus, Duff led the nation with 22 contested catches. He also produced a first down or touchdown on 50 of his 60 receptions and earned Second Team All-Big Ten and Phil Steele honorable mention All-America recognition. His offseason honors include Second Team Preseason All-America selections from Athlon Sports and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Roth identified Duff as a potential national breakout player, but Duff said his primary objective for 2026 is team success after Rutgers finished 5-7 last season.

“First intention is I want to win,” Duff said. “Everyone has their own personal goals, but coming off a year like last year, I think it’s most important to us that we’ve got to win more than we did last year.”

With Duff’s return, Rutgers will have a familiar face at the forefront of the team as they open the 2026 season against UMass on September 3. By remaining at Rutgers, Duff will also give the program something that many programs are unable to keep in today’s college football landscape: an All-America candidate who wants to complete his career at the program.

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