BOBBY DUHON
Halfback-Kick Returner
No. 28
Tulane
"What do you do with a player who was a left-handed quarterback in college, who was drafted in the third round, and who was tabbed for the unfamiliar role of defensive safety? You convert him to running back, of course.
That's what the Giants did with Bobby Duhon as a rookie last year. When he reported to the summer camp, he convinced everyone he was a football player. He wasn't going to play quarterback and was first tried at tight safety. After Bruce Maher was obtained, Duhon was superfluous there.
So the Giants experimented with him at halfback, and the six-foot, 195-pounder came though with an impressive rookie year, gaining 362 yards on 101 carries for a 3.6 average and three touchdowns. He also caught 37 passes for 373 yards and a score.
Bobby blends good speed with excellent moves, a knack for following his blockers and finding that gap of daylight. The Giants think he can be an asset."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969
JUNIOR COFFEY
Halfback
No. 34
Washington
"Understudying Jim Taylor at Green Bay, Junior Coffey must have had some of the great fullback rub off on him, as he led the Falcons in rushing last year. Switched to halfback by Norb Hecker, Junior galloped for 722 yards on 199 carries and scored four touchdowns. He ranked ninth in th league as a ball-carrier.
He has good, if not exceptional, speed, and at 6-1 and 210 pounds is big enough to be a heavy-duty back. Junior is a slashing type of runner with great desire. He avoids reading the sports pages during the season so that it won't influence the way he plays.
He was the Packers' seventh round draft choice in 1964."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967
"Junior moved in as the Falcon's starting halfback and responded by leading the team in rushing with 722 yards on 199 carries, a 3.6-yard average and four touchdowns. Along with his fine rushing, he caught 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown."
-1967 Philadelphia No. 2
"There are very few ready-made pros. Most have to develop as they go along. Junior Coffey is such a one. Rated a fine prospect by the Packers, he spent most of his rookie season of 1965 on the bench as an understudy to Jim Taylor.
He got his chance to start when he came to Atlanta for the 1966 season and showed week-by-week progress. By the end of the season, he was their leading ground-gainer with 722 yards on 199 carries for a 3.6 average. Last year, he was even better as he finished eighth in the league with 722 yards on 188 carries for a 4.0 average.
Junior, a solidly built 6-1, 210-pounder, is not possessed with exceptional speed, but he has developed into a solid pro runner in the Alex Webster mold. For that reason, he will be shifted to fullback this year."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1968
"The Falcons ground game was spearheaded by Junior as he paced Atlanta in rushing with a sparkling 4.0-yard average. Junior was Atlanta's top rusher in 1966 and '67.
He is a fine receiver."
-1968 Topps No. 21
"All eyes were on Junior Coffey when the club opened training camp this past summer. The club's top running back, he sat out last season after tearing up his knee in an exhibition game, and with him went the Falcon's running attack.
After being Jimmy Taylor's understudy at Green Bay, Jimmy came here in the expansion draft and showed his season on the bench hadn't dimmed his talents. In 1966 and again in 1967 he gained 722 yards with four touchdowns each season.
Most of his gains come on power runs, and when not crashing through the line, he has the ability to hang on to a pass. In his two seasons, Junior caught a combined total of 45 passes. So if surgery did the job it was supposed to do, the Falcon offense will be much improved this year."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969
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