PISCATAWAY – It’s been a while since Rutgers football headed into an offseason with so much promise and potential surrounding its offense.
The Scarlet Knights in 2024 were the most productive they’ve been in years, boasting a talented group of wide receivers, improved offensive line, deep stable of running backs and a quarterback who brought much-needed stability to the position.
So the task this offseason was clear: Build on that productivity and capitalize on the weapons Rutgers is bringing back.
And that starts with Athan Kaliakmanis, who’s preparing for his second season as QB1.
“We’re just continually trying to grow every day,” offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said Saturday following Rutgers’ second spring practice. “Incremental improvement. That’s really what it’s about. He’s done a great job of being intentional every day and giving himself an opportunity for maximum growth every day.”
The numbers Kaliakmanis posted last season were impressive. The Minnesota transfer completed 213 of his 395 pass attempts (53.9 percent) for 2,696 yards, becoming the first Scarlet Knights quarterback to hit the 2,000-yard mark since 2015. He was also the fifth player in the program’s history to complete at least 200 passes.
Collectively the Scarlet Knights’ offense averaged 28.9 points per game, the highest mark since 2008.
For team whose offense had been stagnant and unproductive, last season’s jump in scoring offered signs of growth in Ciarrocca’s second season leading the unit.
But there still was room for improvement. That’s what Kaliakmanis has been studying off the field and now working on during spring practices.
“I learned a lot throughout the season,” Kaliakmanis said. “I watched all the games back from start to finish. There’s a lot of things I want back. There’s a lot of things I feel like were my fault. I’m really hard on myself so when I watch those clips I think about those plays. I just watch them over and over again because I know the situation’s going to come up again. A lot of situational stuff I felt like I could’ve done way better at.”
While Rutgers does have ample continuity from last season, its offense did lose some key pieces. That starts with running back Kyle Monangai, who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing season as he climbed the program’s record books. Wide receiver Dymere Miller, who caught 59 passes for 757 yards and four touchdowns, also moved on, and so did stalwart left tackle Hollin Pierce.
Replacing them won’t be easy, though coach Greg Schiano and Ciarrocca have addressed that in the offseason.
They brought in North Texas transfer wideout DT Sheffield, who caught 66 passes for 822 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and Florida Atlantic transfer running back CJ Campbell ...
