I had some doubts about Kaliakmanis, but after watching the last two games my doubts are gone. He is a dangerous passing threat. Athan played exceptionally well vs Maryland and I think he will continue to improve.
I think Kaliakmanis improved from good to elite
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Good to very good. Not elite yet.
Agree with this...........not elite yet.......but wow, he has really grown this season. Huge props to our OC and to Kaliakmanis himself for the in season development. That makes the prospects for next year so much more exciting
Coaches been letting him throw without the predictable safety nets.
Receivers have been strong and demanding coverage.
Miller went 7 games without a TD and has had 3 the last two games (Strong had 2)
Receivers have been strong and demanding coverage.
Miller went 7 games without a TD and has had 3 the last two games (Strong had 2)
Maybe it's simply maturation and improvement of the entire passing game and not the same drum you have been beating all season on Schiano.
He had a very good game, some great throws and I can't remember many bad throws. No int's. I felt the OL played well which helped, nice to see younger OL's like Chin, Asamoah and White playing and winning. He is still only at 55% for the year but seems to be improving, and 55 and the TD/Int ratio is better than last year.
On the Rutgers Rant podcast this past Thursday Politi said he ran into Teel at the concessions at the last game & said something along the lines of "Athan might be the best since, well, you". Teel laughed & agreed
He's solid
Elite is the Caleb Williams / CJ Stroudt level
But he's good enough to get us 8 wins this year (9 w/the bowl)
Elite is the Caleb Williams / CJ Stroudt level
But he's good enough to get us 8 wins this year (9 w/the bowl)
I don’t know about elite, but he’s really solid and has actually been pretty steady for us all season.
Greg chooses not to discuss injuries, but the sudden appearance of that leg brace from the Nebraska game forward should not be dismissed. His mobility was clearly limited during the 4 game skid which correlates directly with the appearance of that brace. He’s not a running QB per se but his normal scramble ability was undoubtedly
Compromised and he has gradually returned to form. That has been a definite factor in his improved play.
Greg chooses not to discuss injuries, but the sudden appearance of that leg brace from the Nebraska game forward should not be dismissed. His mobility was clearly limited during the 4 game skid which correlates directly with the appearance of that brace. He’s not a running QB per se but his normal scramble ability was undoubtedly
Compromised and he has gradually returned to form. That has been a definite factor in his improved play.
He had a very good, but not elite game yesterday. But he is not yet, in my opinion, a very good QB. And I don’t see him becoming an elite one ever, although I would be very happy for him to prove me wrong about that.
The term“elite” is subjective, just like the other terms. IMO, even Eli Manning was not an elite NFL QB. Peyton was elite.
The term“elite” is subjective, just like the other terms. IMO, even Eli Manning was not an elite NFL QB. Peyton was elite.
I agree somewhat. Young wide receivers have shown they can be trusted and are coming into their own. The e biggest change I’ve seen the last 2 weeks is that Kirk is finally attacking the field horizontally and vertically. The intermediate crossing routes/slants and go routes are finally being incorporated into the scheme. Everything is coming together.
Play calling is letting Athans ability and arm strength to shine. Kid throws a nice ball with pop when allowed.
Maybe that qb decommit a few weeks ago helped ever so slightly change our philosophy? Jarring when it wasn't even another offer that led to the decommit but just watching us play offense to that point.
This is a great point.
It also means getting anybody who is anybody in the portal would have been hurt as well.
The big question then is – could the offense have played this way all season and Shiano kept the emergency break on…or did they just need guys to mature in season and they were building to this all year.
Certainly, the back half of the schedule was more forgiving anyway.
It also means getting anybody who is anybody in the portal would have been hurt as well.
The big question then is – could the offense have played this way all season and Shiano kept the emergency break on…or did they just need guys to mature in season and they were building to this all year.
Certainly, the back half of the schedule was more forgiving anyway.
And that is why AK is not elite. His very good game yesterday was greatly aided by WRs who also had a very good game. The OL’s pass blocking was also very good most of the time.
An elite QB carries the team on his shoulders and lifts other players level of play in every game. What we saw yesterday was the OL and WRs all helping out the QB. A team win vs an elite QB making elite plays and elite runs and elite audibles all game long.
This kid threw some beautiful passes. I haven’t seen that in a long time. Athan certainly has played solidly. Anybody miss Wimsatt?
The Final Drive crew was gushing about Athan (Marcel called him Ethan, but whatever) and the Rutgers passing game, including the emergence of Duff, Strong and continued contributions of Miller. Quite the cadre of receivers. Also, while not mentioned, all of this while Rutgers is on a 4th string TE. Sure, injuries happen to all teams, but Rutgers finally had a TE in the mix at the beginning of the season and now we are down to last man standing.
I think AK is better than Laviano. Head to head with Nova he’s right there and may have the edge by throwing less INT’s.
Clearly, the difference in the last two games was the decision to go from a run dominant offense to a passing one. The loss of KM certainly set that in motion. Now, other teams have to play us differently on defense.
And, the emergence of some real solid D especially in the red zone.
None of this would have happened had we still had Gavin under center.
And, the emergence of some real solid D especially in the red zone.
None of this would have happened had we still had Gavin under center.
Not bagging on Gavin in any way. He was a good running QB, could throw some nice deep balls, but the fans saw where he had limitations. He was given ample opportunities to succeed.
There was chatter on X that Gavin was going to start for Kentucky this week. Apparently, that chatter was BS. The starter started, and the freshman 3rd string QB played the rest of the way when Kentucky was blowing out a typical late season lower level opponent. Don't think Gavin got any reps at all, even in run packages.
He has totally changed the complexion of the offense. We're throwing on first down now. We throwing over the top deep balls. Defenses can't game plan on the usual offense we ran run run pass
I also think Kirk & Greg have confidence in his ability to not make mistakes. He plays a smart game.
Excited for the rest of the season and next year.
I also think Kirk & Greg have confidence in his ability to not make mistakes. He plays a smart game.
Excited for the rest of the season and next year.
Me saying GS is too conservative and predictable on offense is hardly an idiosyncratic opinion.
Mongo going down after others had gone down forced offense to be more creative and GS said so.
RU went with more multiple receivers - less beans-n-franks passing game that DCs love
"The offense for Rutgers Football has been rather boring in recent years.
There has not been much to get excited about outside of Kyle Monangai in the backfield. Well, against Minnesota on Saturday, Monangai was out and the offense needed a way to move the ball down the field.
That came in the form of different sets, including many with four wide receivers.
“You have to remember, we lost our starting tight end and we lost our second team tight end, right, and that’s the same thing we had at the running back position,” Schiano said. “We had lost our second-team running back and then we lost our first team running back. So I think you have to be more creative.”
Rutgers Football offense shows much-needed creativity in win against Minnesota
Rutgers Football offense shows much-needed creativity in win against Minnesota
The Scarlet Knights showed different offensive sets against Minnesota.
www.onthebanks.com
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I'm not picking on you in particular. Here's a metaphor/analogy. Would you put a 16 year old kid with a learner's permit in the Indy 500 to drive? No. IMO, had the offense been opened up sooner and AK threw a bunch of picks, that would have brought out a bunch of other critics saying that Greg and Kirk are too careless and need to be more conservative.Me saying GS is too conservative and predictable on offense is hardly an idiosyncratic opinion.
Mongo going down after others had gone down forced offense to be more creative and GS said so.
RU went with more multiple receivers - less beans-n-franks passing game that DCs love
"The offense for Rutgers Football has been rather boring in recent years.
There has not been much to get excited about outside of Kyle Monangai in the backfield. Well, against Minnesota on Saturday, Monangai was out and the offense needed a way to move the ball down the field.
That came in the form of different sets, including many with four wide receivers.
“You have to remember, we lost our starting tight end and we lost our second team tight end, right, and that’s the same thing we had at the running back position,” Schiano said. “We had lost our second-team running back and then we lost our first team running back. So I think you have to be more creative.”
Rutgers Football offense shows much-needed creativity in win against Minnesota
Shot called: Greg Schiano held Rutgers together when the season looked hopeless | Politi
Rutgers defeated Maryland on Saturday to secure bowl eligibility for a second straight season.www.nj.com
I see your point, though. Maybe Greg learned a little bit about himself and Kirk too. Years of bad QB play tend to cause a head coach and OC to be like turtles who don't stick their heads out of their shells.
Coaches fit the offense to the personnel. Phil Longo was supposed to bring the Air Raid offense to Wisconsin. They are near the bottom of the B1G in passing yards/game this year. Yesterday, they relied heavily on ground and pound.
Maryland has an exciting passing offense. They lead the league in passing yards per game and have a great group of wide receivers. Should Rutgers be more like them? Or USC, who is second? Sure USC beat Rutgers, but given their level of talent and their boy wonder head coach, shouldn't they be doing better?
These debates are great fodder for the board.
We started opening up the passing game during the Nebraska game when AK threw more than 30 passes. Prior, we probably didn’t need to pass since the other teams couldn’t defense the run. The Nebraska and Wisconsin game, their defense maybe better than Rutgers and passing %, below 40%, were terrible. AK was better passing in UCLA and USC But we lost and now AK appear to be improving against Minn and Maryland or maybe they have worst defense than Nebraska and Wisconsin. Oregon barely beat Wisconsin last night.
Let’s all relax here. MD has a terrible pass defense. I think AL is taking advantage of good OL, RB and WR play. Don’t think we have had this complete WR group in a long time. Hope people finally understand why Dremel is not playing as much. We just have better options ahead of him.
Average to good is my opinion. Elite sounds like something Rutgers Al would use to describe him.
Minnesota is one of the better passing defenses not only in the B1G, but nationally. When it comes to Nebraska and Wisconsin, we were out schemes and had, IMO, the wrong game plan. The OC and Schiano may not have understood at the time what level our receivers have progress to at that point of the season. Seldom do teams remain the same as the season goes on. Injuries, failures, and successes forces coaches to adapt to changing circumstances. For us fans, the changes didn't happen as fast as we wanted.
AK highlights WRs making "contested catches" and thats something that was missing for awhile.
"The guys up front are playing lights out, giving me time, giving me time to go through my progressions and the guys on the outside are making contested catches, yards after the catch," Kaliakmanis said. "I’m just super grateful for the guys."
"The guys up front are playing lights out, giving me time, giving me time to go through my progressions and the guys on the outside are making contested catches, yards after the catch," Kaliakmanis said. "I’m just super grateful for the guys."
I'm just glad he can deliver the ball under pressure & doesn't get happy feet.
He's a big improvement over recent QBs.
An excellent game and big plays were hit last night & balls were delivered in catchable positions. To be elite that has to be the norm.
I'm just happy he's here whether he's only really good or elite.
He's a big improvement over recent QBs.
An excellent game and big plays were hit last night & balls were delivered in catchable positions. To be elite that has to be the norm.
I'm just happy he's here whether he's only really good or elite.
KM getting hurt forced KC to utilize the WRs more. This would have been a better offense if this had been a point of emphasis from the beginning. Strong, Duff, and Miller have shown in the last few games that they are matchup nightmares.
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The receivers need to mature. Chris Long injury has help with other young receivers to develop with more snaps. Schiano knew of the receivers abilities, but you can't rush potential.
This^^^.
Everyone hammers the Oline every game and no one recognizes when they do good. A group being held together with duct tape and gum kept Athan relatively clean and we rushed for 130 yds. . Which easily could have been close to 200 yds. if a WR didn't hold when it was completely unnecessary. Now Maryland's D is not good but guy's are dropping like flies and people are stepping in to take up the slack.
Lol - typical seesaw where wins send people into space and loses are soul suckers. Football shouldn't be so serious.
This years WR make plays that last year's couldn't on their best days. I never saw one group get so much better in one year. Making Strong a WR was a great move probably made possible by having a thin WR room.
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