Rutgers’ KJ Duff, Antwan Raymond and Kwabena Asamoah talk staying put as Big Ten Media Days continue

Rutgers used Big Ten Media Days to revisit a familiar theme in college football’s current era: the connections players build with coaches and the staff around them, even as name, image and likeness creates new variables. On Tuesday, July 28, wide receiver KJ Duff, running back Antwan Raymond and offensive lineman Kwabena Asamoah met with Big Ten Network representatives as part of the media slate, a moment designed to give fans access to the players behind the projections.

The questions during the session were described as mostly general, but at least one track of conversation focused on the players’ decision to return. Duff and Raymond, in particular, were given the chance to speak about their emotions following the night they announced they would come back for the 2026 season. The reported emphasis was not on Xs and Os, but on the human side of a roster decision, including what it felt like when the plan became public.

The backdrop for those comments is the way NIL has changed how teams and players think about the future. Relationships still matter, but they now share the stage with brand opportunities, endorsements, and the broader ecosystem surrounding a player’s name. In that setting, Rutgers’ trio framed their return as tied to the value of staying connected to the staff and the program that developed them, rather than treating the season decision as purely transactional.

Duff, Raymond and Asamoah each represent a different role in the offense, and their joint presence at media days serves as a reminder of how Rutgers views continuity. When key pieces return, quarterbacks, coordinators and position groups get another offseason of installing the same fundamentals and terminology, instead of rebuilding timing and roles from scratch. The players’ willingness to address their decision publicly also suggests the program is leaning into stability as it heads toward the 2026 campaign.

While Big Ten Media Days are built for forward-looking storylines, the timing of Duff and Raymond’s “return” announcement highlighted how decisions can move quickly once a player’s mind is made up. The reported exchange about that night underscores that even in a schedule-driven sport, recruiting-era decisions increasingly have to account for the calendar outside the whiteboard, including NIL conversations and planning.

For Rutgers fans, the immediate takeaway is that at least three offensive building blocks are coming back into the next season with the same core outlook. The longer view is how the program might use that stability to strengthen relationships in a league where other schools are constantly competing for attention, resources, and player commitment. Over the next stretch, the question becomes whether Rutgers can translate “return” statements into on-field momentum as fall camp approaches.

For the rest of the Big Ten, Duff’s, Raymond’s and Asamoah’s comments offer a useful read into what players believe matters most when they decide whether to depart or stay. In a world where NIL can change the cost of leaving, the players’ emphasis on relationships suggests that continuity, trust, and perceived fit remain powerful factors in the decision-making process.