The commitment of Athan Kaliakmanis last week is a significant offseason addition for Rutgers football. Kaliakmanis, who came to Rutgers out of the transfer portal, has Big Ten experience and will become an important personality in the quarterback room.
Kaliakmanis spent the last two seasons at Minnesota, and he was the Golden Gophers’ starting quarterback all of last season.
He was recruited to Minnesota by Kirk Ciarrocca who was then the offensive coordinator for the Golden Gophers. Ciarrocca joined Rutgers last year and helped turn the Scarlet Knights into a bowl team this past fall.
Kaliakmanis played for Ciarrocca in 2022 where he showed promise as a freshman.
The relationship between Kaliakmanis and Ciarrocca was key in the quarterback picking Rutgers.
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Last week, Rutgers Wire asked Kaliakmanis what impact Ciarrocca had on the decision to join Rutgers.
“A huge role. I have known coach Ciarrocca since I was a sophomore in high school and committed to him pretty much right away,” Kaliakmanis told Rutgers Wire.
“I have a bond with him, and trust him. He is super smart and I cannot wait to work with him again. Coach Schiano and I hit it off from the first moment we met. He is transparent and honest. What really stuck out to me about Coach Schiano is how he feels about his staff and players and how he goes out of his way to make sure you have all the tools you need to succeed.”
Kaliakmanis visited Rutgers in early December. He made his commitment to Rutgers official last week, just days after Rutgers beat Miami 31-24 in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
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Last season was a solid one for, Kaliakmanis, despite Ciarrocca having left the program to join Rutgers. As a sophomore, he completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
“Rutgers checked the boxes for what I was looking for. The two biggest things for me were stability and a seasoned OC for my new home,” Kaliakmanis said.
“Next, was staying in the Big Ten. During my visit, everything felt right. The players, staff, facilities, and the overall vibe throughout the program. The decision was easy.”