FB Recruiting Transfer QB Athan Kaliakmanis visiting RU
- Thread starter Richie O
- Start date
Guess you wanted to be the first to criticize a player coming for a visit. If nothing else he would bring experience and familiarity in the system. Amazing how little you understand about Rutgers and available NIL Rutgers isn’t paying millions … most $$$$ is going to retaining those here.
If you listened on the pods, we've been very adamant Rutgers needs a stop gap QB to play until Surace is ready and yes I'm anointing Kaliakmanis QB1 if he commits because he's flat out proven to be better than Wimsatt in just about every passing category. Wimsatt literally ranked DEAD LAST in all of FBS in completion and adjusted completion percentage.
I never saw you have such strong opinions before.
You know I listened Rich but all 3 of you seemed unsure of why no rumors? It’s a need …
Athan can move around a bit, not like he's immobile. Plus with Kirk's offense you want accuracy more than anything. Yes he wants to run, but look at his past offenses at Minnesota, he barely used the QB to run. Moreso they had to use it this year they couldn't accurately pass the ball.
We need @mb5789 to weigh in! A couple of podcasts ago after the Maryland game, he was on fire.
If we end up with Kaliakmanis, at least he already is familiar with Kirk's system, which I hear can take three years to master. :)
It's not any kind of surprise that we're considering various options we can afford in the portal. GS said they were looking at every position including QB.
I'm also unsurprised it's not going to be the sort of pro-ready QB people think GS should get. GS also said we don't have the NIL funding to compete for the best QBs available in the portal.
Unless we have the NIL money to land someone better than this kid, I will be a bit surprised, though, if GW doesn't start of the team next season. I'm not going to try to debate who the better QB is based on a comparison of the two QBs stats or film. Instead, I'm going to rely on history repeating itself.
In the past, how many QBs have transferred into RU that immediately take over the starting role from the QB of a bowl team that started every game the prior season (where injury wasn't factor)? How many have transferred into any CFB bowl team and taken over the starting role immediately under the same circumstances?
I'd guess it's a pretty low percentage. But we'll have to wait and see if we actually land anybody decent and how things work out in terms of who starts the first game.
I'm also unsurprised it's not going to be the sort of pro-ready QB people think GS should get. GS also said we don't have the NIL funding to compete for the best QBs available in the portal.
Unless we have the NIL money to land someone better than this kid, I will be a bit surprised, though, if GW doesn't start of the team next season. I'm not going to try to debate who the better QB is based on a comparison of the two QBs stats or film. Instead, I'm going to rely on history repeating itself.
In the past, how many QBs have transferred into RU that immediately take over the starting role from the QB of a bowl team that started every game the prior season (where injury wasn't factor)? How many have transferred into any CFB bowl team and taken over the starting role immediately under the same circumstances?
I'd guess it's a pretty low percentage. But we'll have to wait and see if we actually land anybody decent and how things work out in terms of who starts the first game.
Oh he's talked about it on the premium side already, lots of good convo on there actually about this. Missing out!
Well, GW can start the season and after the first two easy wins, the competition will start with Virginia Tech, if Gavin is struggling, time to try another Qb.
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I suspect GW will be a lot better by next season. He improved a ton between 22 and 23. He has huge upside, just needs to become more consistent with his throws.
I also suspect that if this kid were to come here, he too would improve between now and next season. But I'm less familiar with him, so not as aware of his upside, or if he's peaked, or whatever. It's a bit of an unknown.
But again, how often do QB transfers, into bowl teams whose QB started every game the prior season, take over the starting job? Of course it can happen. And we absolutely need some QB depth because of the potential for injuries.
I just think it more likely than not that GW winds up starting again.
I have no preference here. I'll support whomever the coaches put in the game, as always.
no you don't. You think you do but you don't
I think the coaching staff couldn't believe their good fortune that they were able to gain the commitment of a 4-star QB (from Kentucky, no less!! A noted hotbed of dual-threat QBs 😆) who appeared smart, athletic, etc. Essentially, "good enough" to do what they'd want him to do. All while the staff was busy spending a LOT MORE time rebuilding every other position group. OL? Hard to find good ones. LB's? Can't be competitive in this league without 'em. But QB, oddly enough, just never seemed to be a priority. Or, not as much. (Or, at least, not to us fans).
There were things I'm sure they couldn't predict -- having to thrust said 4-star QB into game action before he's ready, find a suitable offense for him to learn, etc. All the while, you see marked improvement with every other position group. But, QB? It just hasn't been there. I'm sure the coaching staff didn't WANT to be in this position but, a couple of years in, and they might have to break with this experiment that they'd hoped would improve on its own.
I commend the coaching staff for being neutral and looking at this position like any other. The reality is, if you want to make B1G-time improvement, if you want to compete for a conference championship, etc., you're going to need more production (and less mistakes) from this position.
There were things I'm sure they couldn't predict -- having to thrust said 4-star QB into game action before he's ready, find a suitable offense for him to learn, etc. All the while, you see marked improvement with every other position group. But, QB? It just hasn't been there. I'm sure the coaching staff didn't WANT to be in this position but, a couple of years in, and they might have to break with this experiment that they'd hoped would improve on its own.
I commend the coaching staff for being neutral and looking at this position like any other. The reality is, if you want to make B1G-time improvement, if you want to compete for a conference championship, etc., you're going to need more production (and less mistakes) from this position.
You aren’t keeping track but only a handful of teams are keeping their QB from last year. The majority are trading up for better QB. The Minn QB started every game and lost it to a portal transfer. Who’s the Ohio State and Wisconsin QB’s transferring?
8 out of 12 teams we play next year are looking for a portal QB. I haven’t check on the two patsy, we play at beginning of season. We have the best QB that we shouldn’t be looking?
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You say we need a credible passer, as well as 90% of us, but you don’t believe we can get a QB to transfer to Rutgers. Which team do you root for, Syracuse? You just hate life I can see.
I went in-depth with my thoughts here:
Gavin Wimsatt/Athan Kaliakmanis Deep Dive Comparison
Stats 2023 Gavin Wimsatt (306 dropbacks) Athan Kaliakmanis (342 dropbacks) Completion Percentage 47.8% 52.7% Adjusted Completion Percentage 58.0% 66.2% Big Time Throws 7 (2.4% of throws) 13 (4.2% of throws) Drops 14 (9.7%) 25 (13.9%) Average Time to Throw 2.8 seconds 2.98 seconds...
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
Oh, I absolutely think we need a better QB but I don't think anyone will come here because it's obvious Schiano is 'all in' with GW. GW fits Schiano's philosophy and playbook to a T. Run, run clock, punt and defense. Why would someone come here to back up GW in that offense ?
You realize it’s impossible for every team to trade up for a “better” QB right?
I like bringing in a kid that knows KC’s Offense. Competition is a good thing. I’ll root for whoever is on the field for us. Rooting against players is moronic. We have a lot of that here on this board. Same with rooting against Schiano. Really smart.
Stop it. Schiano had QB pass before with Teel, Nova and Hart. He see what he has to work with and does his best.
That is fantastic! Thank you!!!I went in-depth with my thoughts here:
Gavin Wimsatt/Athan Kaliakmanis Deep Dive Comparison
Stats 2023 Gavin Wimsatt (306 dropbacks) Athan Kaliakmanis (342 dropbacks) Completion Percentage 47.8% 52.7% Adjusted Completion Percentage 58.0% 66.2% Big Time Throws 7 (2.4% of throws) 13 (4.2% of throws) Drops 14 (9.7%) 25 (13.9%) Average Time to Throw 2.8 seconds 2.98 seconds...
What does 15 years ago have anything to do with 2024 ?
Fact: GW is among the lowest rated passers in college football, far below other P5 QBs who are being recruited over via the portal.
Answer this: wouldn't you think plenty of those more accomplished and more productive QBs who are being recruited over at their schools or aren't P5 would explore coming here to try to beat him out ? why aren't they ?
I'll tell you why. Because there's no opportunity here. Schiano is entirely satisfied with who he has. QB1 is decided.
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You can see in the second play of that tape, that hes better. Gavin can't make that throw on the cross route with pressure.
Hey great, then Gavin improved and he’ll be the starter next year. Nobody anointed the starter next year and the starter at the beginning of the year doesn’t mean for the entire season. If Gavin improves significantly then that’s great but if not then plan B. I think every team has a plan B or why have backups.
Nope this is just your anti Schiano bias talking. We wouldn’t be bringing in the starting QB Kirk left behind for a visit as a potential back up candidate. It appears your wrong. They are looking for another QB to challenge Gavin. There’s no other way to interpret this - whether it works out or not.
I get that with the xfer portal, and the current rules, xfers happen more often. But, those xfers happen for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I still think history repeating itself is the most likely initial outcome for next season. Call my guess 60/40 that GW starts, if Athan comes here, absent injury or other extenuating circumstance.
Looking at the stats compiled by @mb5789, we can see that those stats suggest Athan has the potential to produce improved numbers if RU can continue to improve on the OL and at route-running and pass catching by the WR/TE/RB rooms.
But GS prioritizes protecting the ball very highly and GW did that in 2023. And one of the things that kept us in some games against the elites, at least for a while, was GW's legs and protecting the ball.
Having said that, if we bring in a competent backup, or if GW is the backup, the starter's job might be far less secure than it was in 2023.
Love you Rich and all the work you put on this site. You hustle like no other but did you hit your head when driving over a speed bump on your way to Happy Valley? You actually believe a qb who lost his starting spot by end of year for a sub .500 team, wanted a guarantee on starting and has similar production statistics to our current qb who will be leading our offense in a bowl game, would start right away at RU no question??
This take is almost as bad as your preseason takes on RU getting at most four wins this season, linebackers sucking going into last season and Ty Powell not being an All BIG caliber player.
Athan being without a doubt better than Wimsatt when the guy has basically the same level of production as Gavin and had a better receiving corp but is more accurate according to you is nuts.
I would welcome him joining the program for a full competition to start and quality depth. Now if Athan loses comp would he just transfer out to another program? I don’t mention Wimsatt because he has yet to exhibit that type of behavior.
GO RU
This take is almost as bad as your preseason takes on RU getting at most four wins this season, linebackers sucking going into last season and Ty Powell not being an All BIG caliber player.
Athan being without a doubt better than Wimsatt when the guy has basically the same level of production as Gavin and had a better receiving corp but is more accurate according to you is nuts.
I would welcome him joining the program for a full competition to start and quality depth. Now if Athan loses comp would he just transfer out to another program? I don’t mention Wimsatt because he has yet to exhibit that type of behavior.
GO RU
You can interpret any way you want. Did he get an offer ? Did his brother as well ?Unless he comes here and gets a shot at QB1 I’m not proven wrong. Again, where’s all the interest from all the clearly better portal QBs who got recruited over at their schools ?
It seems like Kirk is interested in his own kid… for better or worse. Who said anything about which kid we would go after? You said we wouldn’t go after anyone other than many an FCS back up or something like that. The starting QB on Minny is taking the time to visit us. He wouldn’t waste his time if he was being told we are looking for a back up for Wimsatt. I think you know this much.
