Rutgers started training camp yesterday in preparation for the 2025 season, and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis spoke to the media, discussing the roster and the work the team has put into the offseason. Athan spoke about his growth as a player going into his fifth season, his connection to offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca continuing to develop, how he learns from the other quarterbacks on the roster, and the high level of depth and competition influencing the team at each position.
Kaliakmanis took
the Rutgers passing game to levels it had not seen in years in 2024, throwing for 2,696 yards with 18 touchdowns and just seven interceptions last season. He was the first Scarlet Knight to throw for over 2,000 yards since 2015, with a deep ball that ignited the team’s receiving corps and fans alike.
On his experience: “I think this game slows down a little bit more as you get more experience, and I think the game will slow down a little bit for me just because of my understanding of it now. I think that’s from all the work we put in with the receivers, running backs, and tight ends, and I think that will show the more we practice.”
On his connection with Kirk Ciarrocca: “Being with Coach Ciarrocca for another year is awesome. I’m excited for it and excited for the first day. We’re staying here and present, not focused on tomorrow, so I’m going to go in there, eat lunch, watch some film, and think about the mistakes I made and how to correct them.”
On learning from his fellow QBs: “AJ [Surace] has gotten a lot better, and so have Rocco [Rainone] and Sean [Ashenfelder]. If I see something that I don’t have in my game that they do well, I want to implement it in mine and ask them questions. That’s just how we all talk, we compete with each other not against each other.”
On the offensive line competition: “I feel comfortable with whoever’s there because I know whoever it is earned it. There’s a lot of competition everywhere, and I feel the same way. We have a competitive football team, and that’s not just in practice; we’ll compete in anything. That’s just what this team is.”
On the receivers and defensive backs: “I don’t think there’s a drop off anywhere, not even just the receivers, but the defensive backs too. Playing against them today, these guys can play, and it goes at every position across the board. The guys who were younger last year and got a little bit more experience are better because of it. Now, they’re here after being thrown into the fire and are playing exceptionally well and smarter.”
On the running back room and how the playmakers will be utilized: “I think there will be a couple of guys who will stand in, we have a good running back room, and the same with the receivers. It’s not going to be one guy, we’re going to have people rotating in and out of positions. I’m not the coach though, Coach [Greg] Schiano is going to make those decisions, and we fully trust in him and the things he’s going to do.”
On his expectations for his receivers: “Just confidence in the scheme and guys, we put in a lot of work together this offseason, and I think we’re all more confident in each other. When I talk to receivers, we have expectations for each other. I’ll keep that between us, but we have expectations for each other.”
With highly touted transfer DT Sheffield joining the team from North Texas alongside big-play receivers Ian Strong and KJ Duff, Kaliakmanis will look to build on a highly productive 2024 season, which was the best quarterback season at Rutgers in nearly a decade. From his own words, his coaching staff and the players around him will help him to do just that.
