Charlotte has always been part of Fabien Duncan’s football story. Now, it is the setting for his next chapter. The reigning SIAC Player of the Year is transferring from Allen University to Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). The Charlotte native is returning home to join the CIAA champion Golden Bulls. The move brings one of the most productive players in HBCU Division II football into a program fresh off a historic season.
For Duncan, this decision is more than a transfer. It is a homecoming.
From Almost Done to All-Conference
Just a few years ago, Duncan believed his football career was over.
At the time, he was out of school and working a third-shift job. Then, a conversation with his former high school coach changed everything. That connection led him to Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, and back onto the field.
“It means everything to me because at one point I thought I’d never be able to play football again,” Duncan said in an interview with ABC 25 Columbia. “So coming back and getting this opportunity and meeting amazing people, lifelong friends, it’s very amazing.”
That opportunity reshaped his life — and Allen’s football program.
A Breakout Season in HBCU Football
During the 2025 season, Duncan emerged as one of the most dominant players in HBCU football.
Across 11 games, he rushed for 1,301 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the SIAC in both categories. In the process, he became the first player in Allen University history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He topped 100 rushing yards six times and scored in five different games.
His defining moment came against Clark Atlanta. In that game, Duncan rushed for 229 yards on 46 carries and three touchdowns, setting the school’s single-game rushing record and tying the program record for rushing touchdowns.
As a result, Allen finished with its second-best season in school history. The Yellow Jackets placed fourth in the SIAC and ranked eighth among Division II HBCU programs.
“I See It Every Day”
Allen head coach Cedric Pearl said Duncan’s rise never surprised him.
“No because I see it everyday in practice,” Pearl said. “I just wanted the world to see it, like I tell them.”
Pearl described Duncan as consistent from the moment he arrived.
“Well Duncan has been the same way since he walked in the door last year,” Pearl said. “Extremely quiet, confident, hard worker, great team guy and great character. Guys like that, great things happen.”
Built Behind ‘The Vision’
Duncan also credited the offensive line that powered Allen’s rushing attack. The group nicknamed itself “The Vision.”
“They kind of named themselves that,” Pearl said. “All I know is those guys work extremely hard man.”
Duncan echoed that sentiment throughout the season.
“They mean everything to me man. It all starts with them. There is no me without them,” Duncan said. “They hold me accountable just as much as I hold them accountable.”
Together, Duncan and his offensive line set multiple program records. Those marks included total rushing yards, total touchdowns, and single-game rushing production.
A Standard He Sets for Himself
Despite the accolades, Fabien Duncan said the season met his expectations.
“Absolutely yeah,” Duncan said when asked if he imagined setting school records. “I set the bar very high for myself. I see myself going to play professional football, that’s the main goal.”
He also explained his approach to the game.
“I don’t play just to play. And I don’t work just to work. Everything has a meaning to it.”
Why JCSU, Why Now
Now, Duncan brings that mindset back home to Charlotte and Johnson C. Smith University.
Under head coach Maurice Flowers, the Golden Bulls captured the CIAA championship, finished the regular season 10–1, and earned a top-two regional seed. The season also marked JCSU’s first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.
After the postseason loss to Frostburg State, Flowers summed up the program’s mentality.
“We don’t lose. We learn,” Flowers said.
Brick x Brick Continues
The rise of JCSU under Coach Flowers has been documented in HBCU Gameday’s Brick x Brick with JCSU Football, an original docuseries that chronicles the program’s transformation.
Season 3 of the series will continue in 2026 with four new episodes, including a feature-length CIAA Championship special. The new installments will capture the culture, leadership, and expectations inside the Golden Bulls’ locker room.
With Fabien Duncan’s arrival in Charlotte, that story is already writing another chapter for 2026.