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With the Miami Hurricanes looking for their quarterback centerpiece in the 2022 class, a prior relationship with UM receivers coach Rob Likens led to Rancho Verde (CA) 4-star QB AJ Duffy landing an offer from offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee last month.
“I had originally known coach Likens from ASU, so I had tried reaching out to him,” Duffy said. “Out of the blue, I got on the phone with [Lashlee] - we were talking, he liked my film, and he just offered me. He wanted to come up here to meet me for a spring practice and just talk about the offense in more detail. It was just crazy.”
Duffy has known Likens for about a year at this point and the pair previously met at a camp event. What made Duffy want to reach out to Likens in the first place now that the coach was at Miami?
“Coach Likens and I had a pretty good relationship when he was at ASU and, growing up, I always liked the U for some reason, it was just cool to me,” Duffy said of Miami. “I always thought that was a cool place to go. I wouldn’t say it’s my dream school because I don’t have one, but it’s a dream offer for sure. I’m pumped.”
The new spread system that Lashlee is bringing to Miami in 2020 has Duffy intrigued as well, and the Rancho Verde star sees improvement on the horizon for UM’s attack unit.
“[Lashlee] thinks I’d be a good fit for the offense,” Duffy said. “He likes how I throw the ball, how I’m athletic, and he liked my film a lot.
“I know they had a down year offensively, but the new offense is going to be way better. They’re going to have a new, up-tempo style. I like that kind of system, but honestly, I think I could play in any system. My scheme in high school is spread with a mix of pistol and under center.”
Duffy had actually already planned a Miami visit this spring before the coronavirus shutdowns, and says he’ll be making up that trip whenever things get back to normal.
“I’ve been to Florida a lot, mostly Orlando and Tampa. I haven’t been to Miami, but I’ve always wanted to go there. When all this is over, I’m for sure visiting up there,” Duffy said. “I was actually going to go March 17th, but it got cancelled because of the coronavirus stuff. I already had my plane ticket and everything.”
What will he be looking to see from his Miami visit?
“I just want to see how the vibe is, how the culture is, and see how the coaches are in person,” Duffy said. “I’ve only met coach Likens, so I want to meet the OC, the head coach and see how they are.”
AJ’s father, Thomas Duffy, played QB and receiver at Central Connecticut State, and is also currently AJ’s head coach at Rancho Verde. With the coronavirus shutdowns, AJ says the two have taken advantage of all the extra time that has been afforded by the pandemic.
“My head coach being my dad, I love the extra time,” Duffy said. “We’re doing QB drills, footwork, running, watching my full-field reads on film – I think it’s been good for me. There’s a better opportunity for you to study more and watch film with your head coach always being at your house.”
The 6-1 195 pound prospect cites Pac-12 schools like Oregon and USC, and Big 10 schools such as Penn State and Nebraska as some programs that he hears from on a regular basis, but Duffy says he is nowhere near the point of narrowing down his list or making a decision.
“I think right now, I’m not really trying to pick a school,” Duffy said. “I’m just trying to build relationships with coaches and see how that goes, see where that fit is and that home feeling is, so I’m not ready to pick favorites or anything yet.
“Maybe by the end of the season I’ll end up committing. I want to take a few more unofficial visits like Miami and some other east coast schools.”
Duffy’s most recent visit was to local school USC in early March, and although he enjoyed the visit, mentioned that staying close to home for college was not a priority to him.
“We went to the basketball game, it was cool,” Duffy said of USC. “There’s a good vibe at USC… but I don’t really care about distance from home. I wouldn’t mind playing close to home, but it’s not a big thing for me. My dad’s an east coast guy from Massachusetts, so I’m always back east anyways.”
Duffy’s 7-on-7 teammate 2022 Mater Dei (CA) 4-star WR CJ Williams recently received a Miami offer as well after Duffy alerted Likens of the star receivers’ interest, and the two have discussed playing at the same program for college.
“I’ve known him for about a year and a half,” Duffy said of Williams. “On the field, we just clicked, he’s that guy at receiver. He’s just a cool guy to talk to.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Duffy led a state title-winning roster to an 11-1 season and finished the year with 2,568 passing yards on a 70.9% completion percentage and a 26-7 TD-INT ratio, plus 501 rushing yards and 4 TD’s on the ground for the Mustangs.
“I felt like I had a pretty good year. There were a few things I could improve on, but it was a solid year,” Duffy said. “Of course, I’m always trying to win first and doing anything to get first downs. If we have to run the ball to win, then we’ll run the ball. If I have to throw for a lot of yards to win, then I’ll throw for a lot of yards. Anything to win.”
“I had originally known coach Likens from ASU, so I had tried reaching out to him,” Duffy said. “Out of the blue, I got on the phone with [Lashlee] - we were talking, he liked my film, and he just offered me. He wanted to come up here to meet me for a spring practice and just talk about the offense in more detail. It was just crazy.”
Duffy has known Likens for about a year at this point and the pair previously met at a camp event. What made Duffy want to reach out to Likens in the first place now that the coach was at Miami?
“Coach Likens and I had a pretty good relationship when he was at ASU and, growing up, I always liked the U for some reason, it was just cool to me,” Duffy said of Miami. “I always thought that was a cool place to go. I wouldn’t say it’s my dream school because I don’t have one, but it’s a dream offer for sure. I’m pumped.”
The new spread system that Lashlee is bringing to Miami in 2020 has Duffy intrigued as well, and the Rancho Verde star sees improvement on the horizon for UM’s attack unit.
“[Lashlee] thinks I’d be a good fit for the offense,” Duffy said. “He likes how I throw the ball, how I’m athletic, and he liked my film a lot.
“I know they had a down year offensively, but the new offense is going to be way better. They’re going to have a new, up-tempo style. I like that kind of system, but honestly, I think I could play in any system. My scheme in high school is spread with a mix of pistol and under center.”
Duffy had actually already planned a Miami visit this spring before the coronavirus shutdowns, and says he’ll be making up that trip whenever things get back to normal.
“I’ve been to Florida a lot, mostly Orlando and Tampa. I haven’t been to Miami, but I’ve always wanted to go there. When all this is over, I’m for sure visiting up there,” Duffy said. “I was actually going to go March 17th, but it got cancelled because of the coronavirus stuff. I already had my plane ticket and everything.”
What will he be looking to see from his Miami visit?
“I just want to see how the vibe is, how the culture is, and see how the coaches are in person,” Duffy said. “I’ve only met coach Likens, so I want to meet the OC, the head coach and see how they are.”
AJ’s father, Thomas Duffy, played QB and receiver at Central Connecticut State, and is also currently AJ’s head coach at Rancho Verde. With the coronavirus shutdowns, AJ says the two have taken advantage of all the extra time that has been afforded by the pandemic.
“My head coach being my dad, I love the extra time,” Duffy said. “We’re doing QB drills, footwork, running, watching my full-field reads on film – I think it’s been good for me. There’s a better opportunity for you to study more and watch film with your head coach always being at your house.”
The 6-1 195 pound prospect cites Pac-12 schools like Oregon and USC, and Big 10 schools such as Penn State and Nebraska as some programs that he hears from on a regular basis, but Duffy says he is nowhere near the point of narrowing down his list or making a decision.
“I think right now, I’m not really trying to pick a school,” Duffy said. “I’m just trying to build relationships with coaches and see how that goes, see where that fit is and that home feeling is, so I’m not ready to pick favorites or anything yet.
“Maybe by the end of the season I’ll end up committing. I want to take a few more unofficial visits like Miami and some other east coast schools.”
Duffy’s most recent visit was to local school USC in early March, and although he enjoyed the visit, mentioned that staying close to home for college was not a priority to him.
“We went to the basketball game, it was cool,” Duffy said of USC. “There’s a good vibe at USC… but I don’t really care about distance from home. I wouldn’t mind playing close to home, but it’s not a big thing for me. My dad’s an east coast guy from Massachusetts, so I’m always back east anyways.”
Duffy’s 7-on-7 teammate 2022 Mater Dei (CA) 4-star WR CJ Williams recently received a Miami offer as well after Duffy alerted Likens of the star receivers’ interest, and the two have discussed playing at the same program for college.
“I’ve known him for about a year and a half,” Duffy said of Williams. “On the field, we just clicked, he’s that guy at receiver. He’s just a cool guy to talk to.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Duffy led a state title-winning roster to an 11-1 season and finished the year with 2,568 passing yards on a 70.9% completion percentage and a 26-7 TD-INT ratio, plus 501 rushing yards and 4 TD’s on the ground for the Mustangs.
“I felt like I had a pretty good year. There were a few things I could improve on, but it was a solid year,” Duffy said. “Of course, I’m always trying to win first and doing anything to get first downs. If we have to run the ball to win, then we’ll run the ball. If I have to throw for a lot of yards to win, then I’ll throw for a lot of yards. Anything to win.”
