Rutgers is a bit of a team transformed this year. Normally lead by its stout defense and strong run game, they are instead powered by their senior QB Athan Kaliakmanis and the pass attack. Let’s dive in.
The Numbers
QB sacked per game: 3.5
Passing yards per game: 272.5
Red zone scoring attempts per game: 5.8 (4th nationally)
Points per game: 39
Key Players
The Scarlet Knights offensively are lead by QB Athan Kaliakmanis and his trio of receivers. The senior QB is playing better through the first five games of this season than through any
five game stretch last year. He’s already got two 300 yard passing games this year, after having just one last year. He’s decently sized at 6-3 and 212 pounds with solid arm strength and athleticism, but he won’t wow you in any one department. What sets him apart is his decision making and generally smart play. He gets the ball out on time, makes the right reads, and doesn’t overextend himself. He’s used that to throw for 1,399 yards (8.8 YPA) and 9 touchdowns this season. His average depth of target is over 11 yards, and has 11 PFF rated big time throws, so he’s not afraid to push it downfield a bit.
WRs KJ Duff, Ian Strong, and DT Sheffield, plus TE Kenny Fletcher Jr., will be the primary weapons for Kaliakmanis. Duff leads the team in yards (420), receptions (30) and is tied in receiving touchdowns (3) with Sheffield. Duff is a matchup problem at 6-6 and was actually rated as a 4-star tight end coming out of high school in 2024. Ian Strong is another big bodied receiver at 6-3 with deceptive speed and excellent hands. He’s a future NFL receiver and excels at stretching the field vertically. He is right behind Duff in receiving yards (413), catches (29), and touchdowns (2). Sheffield is the slot receiver, who played previously at both WSU and North Texas. He has the highest yards per catch average on the team (for anyone with more than three catches) with 16.3.
Despite losing RB Kyle Monangai to the NFL, Rutgers replaced him with a similarly physical and between-the-tackles runner in Antwan Raymond. The 5-11 and 205 pound sophomore has carried 87 times for 471 yards and nine touchdowns. Hist last game – agains Minnesota – was his best, with 26 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first 18+ carry game of the season and his highest yardage total since week 1 where he ran for 87 yards. Per PFF, he has 33 forced miss tackles, third in the nation.
The Scheme
While they are certainly passing it more than they were last season, this is still a physical, run first team in the built in the mold of their head coach, Greg Schiano. In fact, Raymond leads the B1G in rushing attempts, so they aren’t afraid to ride their bell cow. Per CFB-Graphs, Rutgers is 37th in expected points added in the run game. In the pass game, it’s all about scheming one-on-one matchups for the big physical receivers Duff and Strong.
Final Thoughts
This is yet another team coming off a bye week that the Huskies have to face. However, the Scarlet Knights are 0-2 in conference, seeking their first B1G victory. They did lead in the fourth quarter of both of their losses (to Iowa and Minnesota), and with an experienced senior quarterback and the extra week of rest, Rutgers will no doubt be extra motivated get their first conference win. For the Huskies, this could be a chance to rev up their struggling pass rush. Rutgers’ offensive line lost its left tackle for the season in week 2 and Kaliakmanis was sacked seven times in their last game, and 15 times total this season. Kaliakmanis is also not a QB who excels when plays break down and rattling him is the key to UW slowing down this Rutgers attack.
