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Minnesota sophomore quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis announced Tuesday he will enter the transfer portal and leave the program after his first full season as the starter. Kaliakmanis posted on social media that playing with his Gophers teammates "has been the honor of all honors" and that "the most difficult part" of his decision was to leave them. With the coaching staff planning to open competition for the starting job next season, Kaliakmanis opted to depart with two years of eligibility remaining. The native of Antioch, Illinois, started five games as a freshman last season when five-year starter Tanner Morgan was injured.

Kaliakmanis closed the regular season by passing for a career-high 319 yards and two touchdowns in a road win against rival Wisconsin, but he never found the same groove in 2023. Kaliakmanis had 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games during a disappointing year for the Gophers (5-7), who became bowl eligible when there was a shortage of six-win teams. He had a 53.1% completion rate and an average of 153 passing yards per game. His backup was fifth-year senior Cole Kramer, who has one season of eligibility remaining. - AP College Football

(DS#44 QB) rSr/2026

QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
News Source: AP College Football
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11/26/23 - Eric ONeill, rSr/2026, Rutgers, 6-3, 261 (DS#18 DE) + More +

2023 NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: DL Eric O'Neill, LIU, R-So,...O'Neill, a preseason All-American who flashed plenty of ability as a rookie in 2022, continued to be a dominant force. The 6-foot-3 defensive lineman was second in the circuit in sacks (5.5 per game) and was first in the NEC in tackles-for-loss (23.5) over the course of the regular season. In addition, his 2.14 tackles-for-loss per contest are good for second overall on the FCS leaderboard. He was also credited with 80 tackles, one forced fumble, seven quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and one interception.

The Staten Island native made a plethora of noteworthy plays against prime competition. He opened the season by making 3.5 tackles-for-loss at FBS opponent Ohio University, which finished second in the East Division of the MAC, before he contributed 2.0 tackles-for-loss at FBS member Baylor. In more than half of his NEC appearances, O'Neill produced 2.0-or-more tackles-for-loss, including a league-leading 4.5 against Merrimack, the top offense in the circuit. Boosting his All-NEC First Team award count to two, O'Neill has also been named a national finalist for the second straight season. Making the cut for last year's Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award, which is awarded to the nation's top freshman, he inked his name as a finalist on the 2023 Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award list, which recognizes the FCS's Defensive Player of the Year. - Northeast Conference Football

(DS#18 DE) rSr/2026

DE Eric ONeill, Rutgers
News Source: Northeast Conference Football
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02/18/23 - Jahzion Harris, Jr/2025, Rutgers, 6-4, 205 (DS#999 OLB) + More +

As a former four-star recruit and transfer from Texas A&M, Jahzion Harris arrived at Rutgers with plenty of potential. Due to an undisclosed medical condition, that potential will go unseen. Harris, a defensive lineman from Erasmus Hall High School and native of Staten Island, will retire from football but remain a student at Rutgers, a team official said Friday. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound edge rusher had four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting his freshman season in College Station and transferring to Rutgers without ever playing a snap for the Scarlet Knights. Harris originally signed with Texas A&M from a final five that included Rutgers, Michigan, LSU and Ohio State. - Star Ledger

(DS#999 OLB) Jr/2025

OLB Jahzion Harris, Rutgers
News Source: Star Ledger
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01/31/23 - Naseim Brantley, rSr/2025, Rutgers, 6-1, 203 (DS#256 WR) + More +

Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt just got some help. Naseim Brantley, a 6-4, 200-pound wide receiver from Central New Jersey, will spend his final year of eligibility at Rutgers. Brantley began his college career at Sacred Heart University, where he played alongside Rutgers offensive lineman J.D. DiRenzo, before transferring to Western Illinois, where Brantley was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year after averaging over 17 yards per catch last fall. Like DiRenzo, who was invited to and played in the 2023 Hula Bowl following one year in Piscataway, Brantley has his sites on the NFL. And Rutgers, who plays in the Big Ten East, lends the stage for that goal.

Brantley was named a top FCS prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft in November by TheAnalyst.com, but Brantley will try his luck at in-state Rutgers, instead. Brantley, who will arrive at Rutgers on Wednesday as a graduate transfer, caught 53 passes for 903 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. He excelled against Rutgers' Big Ten foe - the University of Minnesota (3 rec, 50 yards, TD) - and against South Dakota State (4 rec, 107 yards), who won the FCS national title in 2022. - Star Ledger

(DS#256 WR) rSr/2025

WR Naseim Brantley, Rutgers
News Source: Star Ledger
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01/23/23 - Charles Amankwaa, rSr/2024, Rutgers, 5-10, 186 (DS#122 CB) + More +

Rutgers' defensive secondary just got deeper. Charles Amankwaa, a 5-11, 190-pound senior transfer from Akron, and older brother of Rutgers freshman Thomas Amankwaa, will spend his final year of eligibility at Rutgers as a scholarship, rotational cornerback, next fall. Amankwaa, who will arrive this month, has had success wherever he's gone. He's an experienced member of the secondary, who was an All-MAC selection in 2021 after appearing in 12 games, including 11 starts.

He had an interception against Ohio State on Sept. 25 of that year, and in two more consecutive games against Ohio and Bowling Green, showcasing a knack to make big plays. Prior to Akron, Amankwaa spent two years at Monroe (Junior) College playing under Terry Karg, where Amankwaa was named team captain and first-team, all-conference in 2019 - had 20 tackles, 18 pass break-ups, and four interceptions for 77 return yards and a touchdown - after redshirting his true freshman year. - Star Ledger

(DS#122 CB) rSr/2024

CB Charles Amankwaa, Rutgers
News Source: Star Ledger
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01/11/23 - Isaiah Iton, rSr/2024, Rutgers, 6-3, 277 (DS#55 DT) + More +

Rutgers has added a potential starter along the defensive line via the transfer portal. Defensive tackle Isaiah Iton, a transfer out of Ole Miss, committed to head coach Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights on Sunday, the final day of his official visit to Piscataway this weekend. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound tackle chose Rutgers over offers from Mississippi State, Maryland, Arkansas and Texas A&M. Iton has one year of eligibility remaining. He is a strong candidate for the starting spot at defensive tackle left by Ifeanyi Maijeh, who exhausted his eligibility last season. - Star Ledger

(DS#55 DT) rSr/2024

DT Isaiah Iton, Rutgers
News Source: Star Ledger
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12/13/22 - Deion Jennings, rSr/2024, Rutgers, 6-0, 225 (DS#41 ILB) + More +

A key player at a thin position last season is back for one more year. Senior linebacker Deion Jennings, who helped turn a position that looked like a weakness in the preseason into a solid unit throughout the fall, announced Monday that he will return to Rutgers and use his final season of eligibility next year. The Sickerville native started all 11 games he played in this season, racking up a team-high 91 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack and six passes defended. It earned him All-Big Ten honorable mention honors and the program's Homer Hazel Most Valuable Player award, which was handed out in its post-season banquet.

Jennings will be the veteran leader of a revamped position that will get two key players back from torn ACLs: four-star freshman Moses Walker and two-time sack leader Mohamed Toure. Jennings is the sixth Rutgers senior with another year of eligibility available to announce his decision; defensive tackle Mayan Ahanotu, offensive lineman Willie Tyler and cornerback Kessawn Abraham announced earlier this week that they were returning for their final seasons, while defensive back Christian Izien announced he was entering the 2023 NFL Draft and tight end Matt Alaimo entered the transfer portal. - Star Ledger

(DS#41 ILB) rSr/2024

ILB Deion Jennings, Rutgers
News Source: Star Ledger
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12/08/22 - Adam Korsak, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 6-1, 187 (DS#3 P) + More +

2022 RAY GUY AWARD WINNER: Adam Korsak, Rutgers,...The NCAA all-time leader in punting attempts (349) and yardage (15,318), Korsak led a unit that held opponents to -11 return yards this season, best in the nation, with just one positive return against in 75 attempts. He pinned a national-best 32 punts inside the 20 to help Rutgers rank third overall in net punting (43.57). In punts this season from the Rutgers 40 and closer (28 attempts), Korsak downed 13 inside the 10, 20 at the 15 or closer and four at the 20 (two touchbacks) with nothing higher than the 21. The average drive start for the opponent in the pooch situation was the 12.

Korsak forced 35 fair catches and a muff recovered to lead to a touchdown. He booted 14 at least 50 yards, blasting a season-long 77-yarder at Minnesota to set a stadium record. In addition, Korsak was recognized on the weekly Ray's 8 seven times in 2022, winning national punter of the week on two occasions. For his career, the Aussie downed 41.5 percent of his punts inside the 20 with only seven touchbacks (2.0 percent). In a 27-game span between 2019 and 2022, Korsak had a steak of 150 consecutive attempts without a touchback. He never had a punt blocked or returned for a touchdown, with 63 attempts of at least 50 yards. That included a school-record 79-yard boot in 2018. - Rutgers Football

(DS#3 P) rSr/2023

P Adam Korsak, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/08/22 - Adam Korsak, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 6-1, 187 (DS#3 P) + More +

2022 RAY GUY AWARD FINALIST (BEST COLLEGIATE PUNTER): Adam Korsak, Rutgers,...The NCAA all-time leader in punting attempts (349) and yardage (15,318), Korsak led a unit that held opponents to -11 return yards this season, best in the nation, with just one positive return against in 75 attempts. The Scarlet Knights rank third in the country in net punting average (43.57). In punts this season from the Rutgers 40 and closer (28 attempts), Korsak downed 13 inside the 10, 20 at the 15 or closer and four at the 20 (two touchbacks) with nothing higher than the 21. The average drive start for the opponent in the situation was the 12.

Korsak forced 35 fair catches and a muff recovered to lead to a touchdown. He booted 14 at least 50 yards, blasting a season-long 77-yarder at Minnesota to set a stadium record, and did not have a punt blocked. He was recognized on the weekly Ray's 8 seven times in 2022, winning national punter of the week on two occasions. Korsak is just one of two players in Rutgers history to be voted a captain three times. In addition, the three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection previously earned a spot as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. He is also a member of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for holding a GPA of at least 3.5. - Rutgers Football

(DS#3 P) rSr/2023

P Adam Korsak, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Adam Korsak, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 6-1, 187 (DS#3 P) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM (COACHES): Punter Adam Korsak, Rutgers,...A finalist for the Ray Guy Award, Korsak is an All-Big Ten honoree for the fifth-straight year. The Aussie led the country with 32 punts downed inside the 20 and -11 return yards against, ranking third in net punt average (43.57). He is the NCAA all-time leader in punting attempts (349) and yardage (15,318), a three-time captain for the Scarlet Knights and tied for the program record with 58 games played. - Rutgers Football

(DS#3 P) rSr/2023

P Adam Korsak, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Aron Cruickshank, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 5-09, 165 (DS#120 WR) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM (COACHES): KR Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers,...Often kicked away from by opponents, Cruickshank averaged 20.6 yards on 18 kickoff returns this past season. He ripped off a season-long 66-yard return to help set up a touchdown versus Penn State. This marks his third time earning All-Big Ten honors, claiming First Team in 2020 and Second Team in 2019. - Rutgers Football

(DS#120 WR) rSr/2023

WR Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Aaron Lewis, rSr/2025, Rutgers, 6-4, 255 (DS#87 DE) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM (COACHES): DL Aaron Lewis, Rutgers,...Lewis emerged on the defensive line with 55 tackles with eight for loss in 2022. He posted a career high with 11 tackles, two in the backfield, and a forced fumble in the road win over Temple, adding sacks versus Nebraska and Penn State. - Rutgers Football

(DS#87 DE) rSr/2025

DE Aaron Lewis, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Christian Izien, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 5-09, 199 (DS#11 SS) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION (COACHES): Christian Izien,...Izien garners All-Big Ten recognition for the third-straight season after totaling 84 tackles with five for loss, four pass breakups and a blocked punt. Starting all 12 games, he had two games recording double-digit stops with a high of 15 versus Iowa and became the 14th player in program history to reach 300 career tackles (303). - Rutgers Football

(DS#11 SS) rSr/2023

SS Christian Izien, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Avery Young, rSr/2023, Rutgers, 5-11, 198 (DS#26 SS) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION (COACHES): Avery Young,...Young collects postseason recognition for the second time after registering 84 tackles at safety. He added an interception, four pass breakups and a forced fumble as a starter in all 12 games. The defensive back finishes his career with 326 tackles, 10th-most in program history. - Rutgers Football

(DS#26 SS) rSr/2023

SS Avery Young, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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12/04/22 - Max Melton, rJr/2024, Rutgers, 5-11, 187 (DS#8 CB) + More +

2022 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION (COACHES): Max Melton,...Melton contributed on both defense and special teams, posting 10 pass breakups, two interceptions, 33 tackles and a nation-leading three blocked punts. The blocked punt versus Michigan led to a touchdown. He also recovered a fumble on punt coverage in playing all 12 games. - Rutgers Football

(DS#8 CB) rJr/2024

CB Max Melton, Rutgers
News Source: Rutgers Football
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