Duff returns to Cove, serves as honorary captain

By TJ MAXWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Former Copperas Cove standout running back, turned Notre Dame and NFL cornerback Vontez Duff served as an honorary captain for his former team and the Bulldawgs hosted the Ellison Eagles on Friday.

Duff was invited to participate in the pregame festivities by head football coach and athletic director Jack Welch.

“It means a lot,” said Duff about the opportunity to be an honorary captain. “I come back all the time, even when it's not football season. I can just sit down with coach Welch or any of theother coaches.  We want tobe well-rounded people, family guys, fathers and husbands, so us coming back, that's the easy thing to do. Those guys out there on the field, they're working. I can just sit back and eat me a hot dog or some nachos, so this is easy.”

Duff made his name in Cove as a running back that still holds several school records including most touchdowns in a season (29 in 1998), most rushing touchdowns in a season (26 in 1998), most rushing touchdowns in a game (five against Georgetown in 1998), most rushing yards in a season (2,256 in 1998), and longest punt return (81 yards agaiinst LBJ in 1999).

For Duff it was an honor and a priveledge to be a part of the game and Cove's senior night.

“I wanted to do this because, when we were coming through, we didn't have that many guys that made it to the next level or the NFL to look up to from our town,” he said. “Now that we have the Charles Tillmans and the Robert Griffins and you see these guys pictures on the wall, you feel like I can make it out of here. I can make something of myself. Just coming back and talking to these guys, that's the easy thing to do.”

Duff reflected on his time as a Bulldawg and how nearly everything has changed, except some of the coaching staff.

“A lot has changed,” he said. “We didn't have turf when I played on this field and this press box wasn't even here. It's still the same coaches out there doing it and they've got a good thing going here.

Although Duff has been very busy with his college carreer at Notre Dame and his time in the NFL, but his mother has kept him aprised of the Bulldawgs' happenings over the years.

“I've actually been keeping up with them through my mother,” he said. “I don't know if she's more into football than I am now or what, but she'll call me and let me know what's going on with the games.”

Duff recently returned to Notre Dame and finished his degree and hopes to pursue a post-NFL career in social work or something similar. He thought about going into coaching but knows that's a massive undertaking.

“I just went back to school and graduated,” he said. “I really have to sit down and think if I want to coach. I really think I want to get into more social work because I know how much time coaching can take. Me and my fiance want to travel a little bit more before we get married, so I think my biggest thing will probably be social work.”

Duff credits his fast start at Notre Dame to the Welch and the Bulldawg's coaching staff.

“I tell people all the time, coach Welch is a college coach at the high school level,” said Duff. “As a freshman at Notre Dame, I was probably 10 times ahead of all the other freshmen that did not go through this program. The way the guys work, coach Welch has everything in place the way it's supposed to be for you to get to the next level.”

Duff switched to defense for his time in college and the pros. He was one of few freshmen to see action for the Irish and earned a starting cornerback spot as a sophomore and was named a third-team All-American as a junior. He became the first player in Notre Dame history to return a kick, punt and interception for a touchdown.

Duff was drafted into the National Football League by the Houston Texans in the sixth round in 2004.