A Rhode Island quarterback who threw for only 287 yards in 2019 and a Rhode Island wide receiver who caught just five passes that year are now Duquesne team captains, leading the charge for one of the top offenses in the Northeast Conference.
After being separated for four seasons, how did they get here?
That wide receiver was graduate student John Erby.
Erby's path to becoming a Duke has been a long one, as this is his first season with the team. He spent those years apart all at Rhode Island, where he racked up 412 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2023. Erby also excelled in the classroom at Rhode Island, earning a bachelor’s degree in business while making the dean's list for 11 semesters.
That quarterback was Duquesne’s starting signal caller and senior Darius Perrantes. He was the first of the two to change from a Ram to a Duke, transferring to Duquesne after his freshman year at Rhode Island. Since transferring, he has taken the reins of the Dukes offense, leading them to the 2023 NEC title while enjoying a first-team all-conference season.
Seeing potential
Before Duquesne fans even had the chance to enjoy watching Perrantes on Saturdays, Erby knew the potential for success on the big stage was there.
“When he was at Rhode Island, throughout that year, he was showing flashes of greatness at a young age,” Erby said after practice on Wednesday. “It wasn’t even just me saying that; it was the older guys on the team, as well.”
“But he didn't get the opportunity that he should have gotten; he had to deal with a lot of adversity,” Erby said. “He ended up here, and he was blessed to keep his head on straight. He took the opportunity that he deserved and took off with it.”
Commitment process
With both players living in different states and competing in different conferences for four seasons, keeping in touch and tracking each other's careers on social media were keys to maintaining their connection and making a reunion possible.
“We stayed in touch with each other through Instagram,” Erby said. “I kept track of the things he was doing here. It came to that time where I was like, ‘You know what? I need to go play with him again.’ ”
Erby had thought of linking back up with Perrantes after last season as he entered the transfer portal.
“I texted him and sent him my film. He put in a good word and sent my film to the coaches, and they really liked it. I was on a flight in two days,” Erby said.
“I told the coaches that this is a player we need to get on our offense. I knew we were going to get a vocal leader,” Perrantes said. “He’s definitely showing that this season.”
Getting acclimated
Before even stepping foot on the field in an official game for Duquesne, Erby was named a team captain, a testament to the good word Perrantes put in for him.
“That was definitely an honor. It was a personal goal of mine my entire career; this is the first time I’ve ever been captain,” Erby said. “For it to happen at a place where I had only been for about five months really told me a lot about what these guys think of me because this is all player-voted.
“The people that made me comfortable here were all the coaches I was around. My position group, as well, they all bought into me and they gave me a home,” Erby said. “There are guys I can point to at every single position who talked to me on the sideline, and that turned into them trusting me out here.”
Game time
Once the trust was established and comfort was there, it was time for the duo to finally hit the gridiron together once again.
In the Dukes' first game of the season, a road matchup against Toledo on Aug. 29, Erby hauled in a career-high seven receptions and recorded a team-best 69 receiving yards. The chemistry between the two was alive and well.
Fast forward to Oct. 5 — Duquesne's homecoming game and the start of NEC play against Long Island — when Erby and Perrantes connected for Erby's first touchdown as a Duke, a leaping grab in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard score.
“That was a crazy play,” Perrantes said. “He made a great catch in the front pylon.”
As it currently stands, Erby is enjoying a strong start to the season with 21 receptions for 229 yards and a touchdown. Perrantes has also excelled thus far in 2024, throwing for 759 yards and 10 scores.
The duo has been a main factor in Duquesne's 4-2 record. The Dukes are on a four-game win streak and are 2-0 to start conference play for the fifth time in the last six seasons — and the two will aim to maintain this momentum in their next game at Stonehill at 1 p.m. Oct. 26.
First Published: October 18, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: October 18, 2024, 7:04 p.m.
