Athan Kaliakmanis was expected to be the next progression in PJ Fleck’s program. The quarterback expected to lead the Minnesota Gophers to a higher level in college football after Tanner Morgan.
Regrettably, that plan never materialized. However, Kaliakmanis faced difficulty in displacing Tanner Morgan from the job, as Morgan ended up staying for six years of eligibility. Despite becoming the full-time starter, Athan continued to struggle and make mistakes in almost every opportunity he had while at Minnesota.
Therefore, when he and the Gophers went their separate ways following the 2023 regular season, both parties were prepared to progress. Kaliakmanis reunited with Kirk Ciarrocca at Rutgers and went on to earn the starting position. PJ Fleck’s team successfully recruited Max Brosmer, a top quarterback from the FCS transfer portal.
Former Gophers quarterback, now playing for Rutgers, Athan Kaliakmanis will be facing UCLA.
The Rutgers vs UCLA game was reminiscent of the typical Dinkytown style play, featuring Athan Kaliakmanis. He showcased some excellent throws and made a few impactful plays. However, ultimately, the child is a quarterback who only needs one or two reads, but often becomes overwhelmed under pressure and faces difficulties with his accuracy.
We witnessed this scenario occur many times against the Bruins, with him completing 18 out of 30 passes (60%) for 287 yards, no touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also sprinted for a quick touchdown. Right when it seems like Athan has understood something, he would instead throw poorly to end a drive or make an interception to seal the game.
Athan Kaliakmanis has had a tumultuous 2024 season, settling into his new home located in the eastern part of the country. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights gained momentum right before the season began and continued that to kick off with a strong 3-0 start in non-conference games. After securing a victory against new Big Ten rival Washington in their conference debut, Athan & Co were feeling victorious with a 4-0 record.
Related: According to a college football insider, the Gophers may have lucked out with their quarterback situation during the offseason in multiple ways.
However, things have not gone as smoothly since then. Rutgers suffered a close 14-7 defeat against Nebraska in their fifth game, bringing their record to 4-1. They continued by suffering a humiliating 42-7 loss to Wisconsin, at their own home in New Jersey. Following a close 35-32 defeat (once again at home) against UCLA, the Scarlet Knights have fallen to a 4-3 record, with no clear resolution in sight.
As the autumn progresses, Kaliakmanis’ statistics have become increasingly recognizable. Following his game against UCLA, Athan has completed 104 out of 195 passes (53.3%) for 1,337 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, but the Rutgers coaching team has managed to limit his interception count… at least for the time being.
Max Brosmer, the new quarterback for Minnesota Gophers, will face off against UCLA.
The previous weekend, the Golden Gophers were able to make a comeback against the UCLA Bruins in Pasadena, mainly thanks to the composure and precision of their new quarterback. Max finished 26 out of 37 passes (70.3%) in the game at the Rose Bowl last Saturday, gaining 193 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns, and avoiding any interceptions.
The last game highlighted all the impressive qualities that define the new Minnesota Gophers quarterback. He carefully examined the UCLA defensive backfield before making an impressive touchdown throw on third-and-goal.
Brosmer had to make four reads as the pocket crumbled, before he found his running back Darius Taylor, who was moving towards the left, with no one in the backfield for him to block.
Related: What are the chances of the Minnesota Gophers making it to the College Football Playoff?
The absence of Max Brosmer makes it challenging to imagine the whereabouts of the 2024 Minnesota Gophers. Yes, he has performed excellently as a quarterback. His completion percentage for the season is 68.1%, going 143-for-210.
Max Brosmer holds the title of the most precise quarterback in the history of the University of Minnesota.
This is a greater amount than any previous quarterback in Minnesota Gophers history who has surpassed 1,000 passing yards in their career. And there’s no competition. During his time with the Gophers, Tanner Morgan boasts the second highest career completion rate of 62.2.
| Rk | Player | From | To | Cmp | Att | Pct ▼ |
Yds | TD | Int | Rate | Rush TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Brosmer | 2024 | 2024 | 143 | 210 | 68.1 | 1456 | 8 | 4 | 135.1 | 4 |
| 2 | Tanner Morgan | 2018 | 2022 | 661 | 1063 | 62.2 | 9454 | 65 | 32 | 151.0 | 8 |
| 3 | Adam Weber | 2007 | 2010 | 909 | 1594 | 57.0 | 10917 | 72 | 51 | 123.1 | 10 |
| 4 | Cory Sauter | 1994 | 1997 | 539 | 945 | 57.0 | 6834 | 40 | 34 | 124.6 | 8 |
| 6 | Asad Abdul-Khaliq | 2000 | 2003 | 481 | 846 | 56.9 | 6660 | 55 | 25 | 138.5 | 16 |
| 7 | Mitch Leidner | 2013 | 2016 | 580 | 1029 | 56.4 | 7287 | 36 | 32 | 121.2 | 33 |
| 8 | Scott Eckers | 1992 | 1994 | 147 | 262 | 56.1 | 1884 | 15 | 17 | 122.4 | 1 |
| 9 | Bryan Cupito | 2002 | 2006 | 513 | 918 | 55.9 | 7446 | 55 | 25 | 138.3 | 0 |
| 11 | Mike Hohensee | 1981 | 1982 | 392 | 722 | 54.3 | 4792 | 33 | 31 | 116.5 | 5 |
| 12 | Scott Schaffner | 1987 | 1991 | 278 | 515 | 54.0 | 3472 | 21 | 22 | 115.5 | 6 |
| 14 | Athan Kaliakmanis | 2022 | 2023 | 216 | 405 | 53.3 | 2784 | 17 | 13 | 118.5 | 3 |
| 15 | Billy Cockerham | 1996 | 1999 | 233 | 448 | 52.0 | 3226 | 26 | 22 | 121.8 | 12 |
| 16 | Zack Annexstad | 2018 | 2021 | 97 | 187 | 51.9 | 1277 | 9 | 7 | 117.6 | 0 |
| 18 | Marquel Fleetwood | 1989 | 1992 | 453 | 888 | 51.0 | 5279 | 18 | 41 | 98.4 | 15 |
| 19 | Marqueis Gray | 2009 | 2012 | 150 | 295 | 50.8 | 2053 | 14 | 11 | 117.5 | 12 |
| 24 | Tony Dungy | 1973 | 1976 | 274 | 586 | 46.8 | 3515 | 25 | 35 | 99.3 | 16 |
| 25 | Rickey Foggie | 1984 | 1987 | 292 | 628 | 46.5 | 4903 | 33 | 32 | 119.2 | 24 |
| 27 | Sandy Stephens | 1959 | 1961 | 91 | 276 | 33.0 | 1475 | 13 | 24 | 76.0 | 15 |
I believe the Minnesota Gophers made the correct decision in allowing Athan Kaliakmanis to leave. It is highly probable that Fleck should have progressed sooner. With Max Brosmer as the quarterback, we now understand what a quality quarterback should be.
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