For the first time since Rutgers entered the Big Ten in 2014, there is a quarterback competition that features two experienced players who each have deep Power Five starting experience.
The offseason addition of Athan Kalaikmanis, who started every regular season game for Minnesota last year, certainly changes the look and feel of the Rutgers quarterback room. With the incumbent starter, Gavin Wimsatt, back from a year where Rutgers won a bowl game, there is a level of depth and competition that hasn’t existed around this program in quite some time.
Of the four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, Wimsatt and Ajanni Sheppard spent last season at Rutgers and with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca.
“For two of them, it’s their second year in the system now so you would expect a better understanding from a whole offseason of studying yourself,” head coach Greg Schiano told reporters on Saturday.
“But yeah, there’s a healthy competition in the room. I think it’s deeper so we’ll just let it play out.”
Rutgers has had inconsistent quarterback play for much of the last decade and the hope this offseason is that Kalaikmanis or Wimsatt will step up and manage the offense effectively.
While Sheppard is promising and A.J. Surace, a three-star quarterback who arrived on campus in January, the quarterback competition is likely to favor the most experienced players.
Wimsatt and Kalaikmanis both have significant starting experience in the Big Ten and that is likely what is needed with this veteran roster.
“Well, Athan I saw do things in Big Ten games, so I’m not really surprised – I think he’s doing well, but it’s not a surprise,” Schiano said.
“AJ only saw (him) play in high school and yes, he’s pleasantly surprised me. I mean, AJ is a really fine young quarterback prospect. Very excited about him. So like I said, I’m encouraged. Starting up there with Gavin and going all the way through Ajani who was here – it’s a good room, and I think they got a good chemistry in there to coach Ciarrocca does a really good job of kind of blending them together. And yes, there’s a competition. But they you watch them they help each other all the time. I mean, that’s what that’s what family is about.”
