KJ Duff presents IU football’s secondary with its biggest test yet in 2026 season

KJ Duff of Rutgers.

In the first month of the season, Indiana’s secondary has rarely looked as it did when it was built.

A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe both went down in the season opener against North Texas, forcing young players such as Jaylen Bell and Ryland Gandy into larger roles earlier than expected. Sharpe has since returned, Bell has continued to earn opportunities and Indiana has built depth across the back end while opening the season 4-0.

Saturday night at Rutgers will offer perhaps the best look yet at what that group has become.

Standing across from it will be KJ Duff, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound receiver who has quickly established himself as one of the most productive pass catchers in college football this season.

“KJ Duff is a premier receiver,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said Monday.

That assessment is backed by plenty of substance.

Duff has caught 29 passes for 550 yards and seven touchdowns through four games, averaging 137.5 receiving yards and nearly 19 yards per catch. He has scored in every game and has already posted performances of 196 yards against UMass, 137 against Boston College and 131 against Howard. Even in Rutgers’ loss to then-No. 18 USC, Duff caught seven passes for 86 yards and a touchdown.

His production is not new, either. Duff surpassed 1,000 receiving yards last season and Pro Football Focus credited him with 22 contested catches, the most of any FBS receiver. PFF ranked him No. 19 overall on its early 2027 NFL Draft big board in April and included him in the first round of an early mock draft.

At his size, Duff presents a challenge that goes beyond simply staying with him downfield. His catch radius and ability to win through contact can turn quality coverage into a completion, something Indiana’s cornerbacks will have to deal with throughout Saturday night. Whether multiple schemes will allow different guys to get a crack at Duff, Jamari Sharpe, at 6-foot-1, should get the main matchup with the future NFL draft pick.

Indiana has also adjusted how it uses the group. Cignetti said Monday that Sharpe has been moved to the boundary corner position, which carries “a few more nuances,” while Bell has remained at field corner because of his consistency.

“Jaylen has been consistent in all his opportunities to the field,” Cignetti said. “He’s got a good attitude. He works hard. Smart football player. It’s important to him.”

Last week offered Indiana its first extended test against a Big Ten passing attack.

Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles completed 22 of 29 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats pushed Indiana into a fourth-quarter game before the Hoosiers prevailed 29-23. Indiana also sacked Chiles four times and limited Northwestern to just over 30 rushing yards, forcing much of the Wildcats’ production through the air.

However, the main target for the visitors was tight end Luke Dehnicke, who hauled in seven catches for 140 yards. Outside receivers put up just 92 combined yards.

This week comes with a different kind of challenge.

Rutgers enters Saturday averaging 33.8 points per game, with Duff serving as the centerpiece of its passing attack. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan has thrown for 708 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while backup AJ Surace has thrown for 347 yards and five touchdowns.

Duff alone has accounted for more than half of the team’s receiving yards and all but five of Rutgers’ completed passing touchdowns.

And Duff will not be the last high-level receiver Indiana sees.

The Hoosiers’ schedule will eventually bring other difficult matchups, most notably Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith in a few weeks. But those challenges can wait.

For now, Indiana has a healthy Jamari Sharpe back in a prominent role and a secondary that has developed additional options after early-season injuries.

On Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET on BTN, Duff will provide its biggest individual test yet.

(Photo credit: Rutgers Athletics)

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