Former Gophers QB Athan Kaliakmanis transfers to Rutgers
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Athan Kaliakmanis has left the University of Minnesota football program, but he’s staying in the Big Ten.
The former Gophers’ quarterback announced Tuesday he’s transferring to Rutgers. He’ll compete for the starting job there under head coach Greg Schiano, and the Scarlet Knights’ offensive coordinator happens to be Kirk Ciarrocca. If that name sounds familiar, Ciarrocca twice was the offensive coordinator for P.J. Fleck, and helped recruit Kaliakmanis to Minnesota.
In his first season as a full-time starter, Kaliakmanis completed 53 percent of his passes for 1,838 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He started all 12 regular season games this year, and made five starts during the 2022 season when Tanner Morgan went down injured.
Kaliakmanis announced shortly after Minnesota’s loss to Wisconsin to end the regular season that he was entering the NCAA transfer portal. Fleck brought back Cole Kramer for the Quick Lane Bowl, a 30-24 win over Bowling Green, and has since brought in New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer and Fresno State transfer Logan Fife.
The Gophers and Fleck will reunite with Kaliakmanis Nov. 9 in Piscataway, New Jersey. The question remaining will be if Kaliakmanis wins the starting job at Rutgers.