When Rutgers football opens its season against Howard on August 31, there will be a new quarterback under center in Athan Kaliakmanis. The former Minnesota starting quarterback was named the starter after his performance this spring on May 1.
In his first season as the starter in Piscataway, Kaliakmanis will be looking to help Rutgers take the next step following a winning season last year that was capped off by a bowl win. Kaliakmanis joined Rutgers out of the transfer portal during the offseason.
The Scarlet Knights beat Miami last year in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl to finish the year 7-6.
During his career as a Golden Gopher, he recorded 17 touchdown passes and 2,784 passing yards. The talented sophomore only threw 13 interceptions and was a threat at times on the ground, rushing for 234 yards. While Kaliakmanis is still adjusting to a new team, he has had a familiar face to lean on in offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who recruited him to Minnesota as a three-star high school prospect and coached him in 2021.
Although Rutgers took some steps forward last year, they struggled in the passing game. That is where Kaliakmanis is expected to provide he biggest upgrade. During the 2024 campaign, he posted a 53.1 completion percentage. Rutgers ranked last in the Big Ten last season with a 48.3 percent completion rate.
Brotherly Love ‼️
Athan Kaliakmanis hits Dino Kaliakmanis for the touchdown! pic.twitter.com/MW2btjeJRI
— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) April 27, 2024
In Rutgers’ spring game, Kaliakmanis’ accuracy was on display. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 147 yards, including a 42-year touchdown pass to Naseim Brantley. His performance was a preview of what Rutgers hopes to see when the regular season begins.
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While Kaliakmanis’s last few months have been full of change, he has already built trust with his new coaches, such as Greg Schiano.
“You know, the portal can be a scary place,” Kaliakmanis said in March. “I was very fortunate that a lot of schools (were) interested but very thankful that coach Ciarrocca and coach Schiano (head coach Greg Schiano) were interested in me. But yeah, I mean, our relationship is very, very tight -it was at Minnesota. And just picking his brain, I think he’s a very, very smart coordinator. He’s very intelligent, and I trust him.”