The chant “T.J. Duckett, T.J. Duckett” has roared within Spartan Stadium countless times.
To the 70,000 fans who cheer in admiration every Saturday he’s not just the “Diesel.”
Teammates and family admit he’s one of the fiercest competitors they’ve ever met, but there’s also a soft side to the 6-foot-1, 249-pound Spartan running back.
“T.J. is just a big teddy bear,” said senior running back Little John Flowers. “He might seem mean, but he is so nice - he’s just a good guy to be around.
“He’s a freak of nature on the field, but off the field he’s just great.”
And if anyone would know, it’s Flowers, a teammate and childhood friend of Duckett’s since age 8.
Flowers remembers the days the two would play Sony PlayStation’s GameDay ’94 at Duckett’s house - which Duckett always won.
“As a person and an athlete he’s going to do great things - he’s just special,” Flowers said.
Duckett’s brother, Tico, said his decision to remain at MSU or declare himself eligible for the NFL draft will be announced at a Thursday press conference.
Tico Duckett said his younger brother has weighed all the options.
“It comes down to a business decision - what are his chances if he stays and what are his chances if he goes?” Tico Duckett said. “It’s a gamble either way.”
No matter which way Duckett goes, his brother is fully supportive and confident he’ll be a winner.
“He’s always been a winner and he always wants to be the best at what he does,” Tico Duckett said. “He’s a winner no matter if it’s PlayStation or a pickup game.”
Duckett is currently fifth all-time at MSU with 3,379 rushing yards, 1,508 yards shy of the all-time record held by Lorenzo White.
If Duckett returns he’ll have a shot at becoming the Spartans all-time leading rusher, surpassing his brother at second place in the process.
Tico Duckett said he wouldn’t be jealous if his brother returned to pass him in the MSU record books. He said it would be a great accomplishment for the entire family.
“Once we’re old and gray we can look at the record book and that would definitely mean a lot,” Tico Duckett said. “If he doesn’t come back and break the record it would be a disappointment.”
Sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker said regardless of Duckett’s decision, he’ll always remember all the hard work he put in and how it always paid off.
“One I always remember was against Penn State two years ago when he pulled that guy backwards into the end zone,” Smoker said. “He’s made so many great runs, and that’s just one that sticks out in my mind.
