After falling to the Cal Golden Bears last Saturday out West, PJ Fleck and the crew were back at Huntington Bank Stadium facing half of their former coaching staff and starting QB, Athan Kaliakmanis. But there was a lot more than pride on the line for Minnesota.

Because looming on their schedule next weekend is a road game against the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Ohio State. That’s right. With a loss on Saturday, the Gophers would have fallen to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten, with a trip to the Horseshoe up next.

Minnesota Gophers vs Rutgers got off to a rough start

And for those who tuned in at kickoff, the start of this one was not promising. Offensively, Minnesota struggled to move the ball, piling up a grand total of 26 yards and 0 points in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Kaliakmanis started the game 9-of-9 for 99 yards and one of Rutgers’ two first quarter touchdowns.

I continue to be so impressed with the growth of Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Would not have been drafted in last year’s class. Now I’m not sure there’s a more accurate quarterback in the country. Stock has soared through the first half of this year pic.twitter.com/XVR1MThjlx

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) September 27, 2025

But early in the 2nd quarter, the Minnesota Gophers punched back with two quick haymaker touchdown drives that came so fast the Scarlet Knights had no way of knowing what hit them. With a brand new game in hand, the Gophers took advantage of their new lease on life.

Really, they put the weight of victory on the arm of their redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey, something Fleck talked about after the game (see below). After Lindsey led Minnesota back in the 2nd quarter, the head coach had seen enough. At halftime, he told Drake that it was his game to win or lose.

Drake Lindsey leads Gophers to victory

PJ wasn’t kidding either. When the dust settled on Saturday’s game, not only did the Gophers walk away 31-28 victors, but Drake Lindsey left the field 31-41 (76%) for 324 yards, 3 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions, easily one of the most impressive quarterback performances in school history.

🚣 31-41 CMP
🚣 324 Pass YDS
🚣 3 TD

Drake Lindsey's 324 passing yards in the win over Rutgers are the most by a @GopherFootball freshman since Adam Weber had 352 vs Wisconsin on 11/17/2007 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dl87bjJYxv

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 27, 2025

"We just said we're putting it on your shoulders" @Coach_Fleck on @Drakelindsey5 #RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers pic.twitter.com/PT3S2oh64Q

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 27, 2025

Minnesota walked away with a tight three-point win, and had the defense not played better for most of the game, starting in the second quarter, it could have gotten out of hand. In the end, it still took the Rutgers center snapping a ball passed Kaliakmanis for a huge loss late in the fourth quarter to secure victory.

The botched snap pushed the Knights’ kicker beyond his comfortable range, and his long-range backup missed the game-tying kick. In other words, had Drake Lindsey not put on his superhero cape for three quarters, the Minnesota Gophers do not win.

Drake Lindsey shows his stones

With their trip to Ohio State looming, a loss would have meant a very difficult week for Fleck and his 2025 team this week. Instead, they go into their game vs the Buckeyes feeling like they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country. And after his fourth quarter heroics on Saturday afternoon, it’s hard to argue with them.

Not only did he complete over three quarters of his passes on the day, but he led them Minnesota to three scores on their final four drives, including a touchdown that gave the Gophers the 31-28 lead they shakily held for the final three minutes.

THE EXTENTION! 🤯 @javon_tracy

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/pLIi05oLAB

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 27, 2025

Update: XXL https://t.co/CQVOaXy2oo pic.twitter.com/xQuYhiqix4

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 27, 2025

"He's an absolute warrior, an absolute stud… I'm proud of this kid." 🗣️

P.J. Fleck on freshman QB Drake Lindsey after @GopherFootball’s 31-28 win over Rutgers to start off @bigten play 🙌 pic.twitter.com/v7ZJ0eloa6

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 27, 2025

Koi Perich was coming off the worst game of his collegiate career, and the Gophers couldn’t afford to see that trend continue. He turned in a mixed bag on Saturday, but the focus was back where it needed to be.

Danny Collins’ group as a whole left plenty to be desired though, and it put Minnesota in a tough spot early and often. They were on the field with the game on the line late, and they got the job done when it mattered most.

Athan Kaliakmanis returns to Dinkytown

Things weren’t pretty early for the Minnesota Gophers defense. Former coach and current Rutgers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca dialed up a scheme for Athan Kaliakmanis and the pair rolled out of the gate. Minnesota’s defense couldn’t get anything going, and they found themselves in a 14-0 hole with the Rutgers quarterback starting a perfect 9-for-9.

I continue to be so impressed with the growth of Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Would not have been drafted in last year’s class. Now I’m not sure there’s a more accurate quarterback in the country. Stock has soared through the first half of this year pic.twitter.com/XVR1MThjlx

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) September 27, 2025

For the first quarter-and-a-half of the contest Kaliakmanis looked like something that Minnesota never saw. He was accurate, making good decisions, and delivering on all the possessions.

The Scarlet Knights racked up a significant halftime advantage in terms of both plays run (+24) and time of possession (nearly nine extra minutes) because of their offense. Kaliakmanis made a poor decision on a bad interception thrown to Kerry Brown. Outside of that though, he had the unit rolling.

PICKED ‼️ @GopherFootball

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/5IjqpEP5y4

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 27, 2025

Minnesota’s missed tackles in the secondary were problematic for the entirety of the game. Rutgers running back Antwan Raymond rushed for 161 yards, and he routinely picked up more space after first contact.

When the Gophers got pressure, and they had a good amount with seven sacks, Kaliakmanis wilted. An opening-drive field goal block by Deven Eastern was huge, and the big plays were where Minnesota made up for the soft middle-ground.

Koi Perich looks right when staying focused for Gophers

Against Cal, Koi Perich looked human on a football field. That isn’t something he has experienced too often. This week the whole idea of moonlighting on offense was entirely thrown out the window. P.J. Fleck had his safety locked in on defense and allowed him to return kicks. It worked.

Welcome back, Athan. pic.twitter.com/zq1WEoHpSI

— Ted (@tlschwerz) September 27, 2025

Perich finished with 11 total tackles, including a sack and one for a loss. He absolutely, as Pioneer Press writer Andy Greder put it, smacked the shit out of Athan Kaliakmanis as well.

With Rutgers leading just seconds before halftime, Perich ripped off a 54-yard kick return that set up a field goal (ultimately missed) try for the Minnesota Gophers. With the offensive responsibilities no longer in his purview, he appeared to be his best self.

There was a missed tackle of Raymond on a 20-yard scamper late that could have saved Rutgers from going ahead 28-24. Still though, the day was much more good than bad for Perich.

The next test is a big one. Minnesota goes on the road to The Shoe. Perich and the defense will need to make further strides if they are going to keep Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes under wraps.

Not only did they come in as the No. 5 team in an 18-team Big Ten conference, but they were riding high on a four game winning streak. With three games remaining on the 2024 schedule, even the College Football Playoff wasn’t off the table. Unfortunately, it’s definitely off the table now.

This, after the Minnesota Gophers offense struggled throughout the day in New Jersey, against one of their former defensive coaches (see below). That allowed a 4th quarter fumble, followed by a safety on the next drive, to sink PJ Fleck’s week 11 boat. Ultimately, Minnesota fell on the road Saturday to Rutgers, 26-16.

Minnesota Gophers offense (especially OL) still inconsistent

Athan Kaliakmanis had one of the best performances of his season, on Saturday. He threw for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Meanwhile, Max Brosmer rode the struggle bus vs Rutgers in a way we haven’t seen in recent weeks. On the day, Minnesota’s new QB went 27-of-45 (60%) for 262 yards and 1 TD (0 INT).

Athan Kaliakmanis delivers a STRIKE to Dymere Miller to put Rutgers on top. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/sOYp6fX5bD

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 9, 2024

We didn’t learn today that Max Brosmer is a better quarterback than Athan Kaliakmanis. We knew that before he ever played a game under center for the Minnesota Gophers, just based on how the coaching staff talked about him during the preseason.

Today, in one of Brosmer’s worst showings of the season, he still made better decisions and played way more efficiently than Kaliakmanis did. No matter how this game would have ended, there are no questions about which squad has the better quarterback. Unfortunately, Max’s offensive line didn’t come to play in New Jersey.

Related: NFL Draft Expert Not Sold on Minnesota Gophers Left Tackle

What we did learn is that the Minnesota Gophers offense, which is one of the more talented bunches in the Big Ten, underperformed in the biggest moment of the season, especially on the offensive line. Entering the season, the OL was supposed to be this team’s best and deepest position group.

That's a safety for @RFootball 🔼#B1GFootball on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/ERm7XNnp2K

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 9, 2024

Unfortunately, especially in the four losses this season, they have been anything but that. Max Brosmer is really good and Darius Taylor might be the best running back in the Big Ten. But if the former can’t get any time in the pocket and the latter doesn’t have any holes to run through, talent doesn’t matter.

Defense wins championships when offense disappears

The real MVP from Saturday’s game vs Rutgers was the Minnesota Gophers defense. After getting popped in the mouth repeatedly by Athan Kaliakmanis and backup Scarlet Knights running backs in the first half, Greg Harbaugh’s defense came for scarlet blood in the 2nd half.

Rutgers scored 14 points in the first two quarters, thanks to 267 total yards of offense (216 through the air), the Gophers came out with a completely different type of commitment on that side of the ball for quarters three and four.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Kicker Takes Home Big Ten Weekly Honor

So much commitment, in fact, that the Scarlet Knights posted just 33 yards of total offense in the 3rd quarter. After his HUGE first half, Kaliakmanis went 3-of-13 for 24 yards and 1 TD in the entire second half.

#Gophers defense did its job in this second half.

The offense has not.

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) November 9, 2024

But there was a problem for Minnesota in the 2nd half. After scoring a touchdown on their first drive of the half, the Gophers’ offense ran completely out of gas and the Scarlet Knights defense answered the bell, after their own offense started riding the struggle bus.

Rutgers’ last touchdown of the game, which put them up 20-16 with just 7:40 remaining in the 4th quarter, happened because they forced a Minnesota fumble at their own 10 yard line, the Gophers first turnover since the 2nd quarter vs USC. One phantom PI call and a broken coverage easy TD pass later, PJ Fleck & Co were in trouble.

RUTGERS BALL ‼️😤 @RFootball #B1GFootball on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/vqKS0npaBi

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 9, 2024

Rutgers running backs accumulated just 27 yards on the ground… until their final drive of the game, when they ran all over the Minnesota defense, positioning the Scarlet Knights for a field goal that put them up 10 and iced the game.

There are no easy games in the 2024 Big Ten

But former Gopher QB Athan Kaliakmanis, along with former University of Minnesota coaches Kirk Ciarrocca (OC) and Joe Harasymiak (DC) now leading the show on both sides of the ball for Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights were not going to hand PJ Fleck and their new QB Max Brosmer an easy victory.

Without a doubt, this was the best game Rutgers has played in weeks, and that isn’t surprising, given the familiarity between coaching staffs and the revenge storylines surrounding today’s Big Ten contest.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Snubbed in Both Polls, Especially AP

From the opening kick, this one was a slobberknocker between two teams that know each other way too well, especially when this is only the second time they’ve played each other since 2019. But again, that’s what happens when most of the members from both coaching staffs have coached together, at one point or another in their careers.

Rutgers came into Saturday’s contest on a four-game losing streak, but they had been playing better of late, at least on offense, where they put up a total of 52 points over the past two weeks. Their problem has been on defense… but that wasn’t a huge problem vs the Minnesota Gophers.

That’s because, no matter who the opponent is in this conference, even if they have given up 133 points over their past four games. If you don’t bring it every single week, in every facet of the game, you will lose, especially if you aren’t Ohio State.

The Golden Gophers were not good on offense vs Rutgers this weekend, especially in the trenches, and the defense was extremely inconsistent. It doesn’t matter who you play in the Big Ten, your team will likely lose when that is the case. Minnesota found that out on Saturday.

Unfortunately, that plan never came to fruition. Instead, Kaliakmanis struggled to take the job from Tanner Morgan, who ended up sticking around for six years of eligibility. Even after taking over as full time starter, Athan stumbled and fumbled away just about every chance he got at Minnesota.

So, when he and the Gophers parted ways after the 2023 regular season, both sides were ready to move on. Kaliakmanis reunited with Kirk Ciarrocca at Rutgers, where he wound up winning the starting job. PJ Fleck & Co landed top FCS transfer portal QB, Max Brosmer.

Ex-Gophers QB (now Rutgers QB) Athan Kaliakmanis vs UCLA

Rutgers vs UCLA looked a lot like what we got used to in Dinkytown, with Athan Kaliakmanis. He had a few throws that looked really good, and he made a play here and there. But at the end of the day, the kid is a one or two read quarterback who gets flustered far too often under pressure and struggles mightily with his accuracy.

We saw all of that unfold a bunch of times vs the Bruins, a game in which he finished 18-of-30 (60%) for 287 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. He also ran in a tush push touchdown. Just when you think he might have figured something out, Athan would make a bad throw to kill a drive or… interception to ice the game.

PICKED OFF!!!! The Bruins take it away! @UCLAFootball pic.twitter.com/You6Wlf5ex

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 19, 2024

It has been an up and down 2024 season for Athan Kaliakmanis, in his new home out east. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights caught some late preseason steam and carried that into a hot 3-0 non-conference start. Throw in a conference win vs new Big Ten opponent Washington, in their conference opener… Athan & Co were riding high at 4-0.

Related: CFB Insider: Gophers May Have Won Offseason QB Lottery… in More Ways Than One

But… things have not gone as well, since. In their fifth game, Rutgers lost a 14-7 nailbiter vs Nebraska, moving them to 4-1. They followed that up by getting their asses stomped 42-7 by Wisconsin, at home in New Jersey. After a tight 35-32 loss (again at home) vs UCLA, the Scarlet Knights have dropped to 4-3, with no end in sight.

As the fall has gone on, Kaliakmanis’ numbers have looked more and more familiar. After his performance vs UCLA, Athan is 104-of-195 (53.3%) for 1,337 yards, 8 TD and 5 INT, though the Rutgers coaching staff has been able to keep his interception numbers down… at least for now.

Minnesota Gophers new QB Max Brosmer vs UCLA

Last weekend, the Golden Gophers found a way to comeback in Pasadena vs the UCLA Bruins, in large part due to the poise and accuracy of their new QB. Max completed 26-of-37 passes (70.3%) at the Rose Bowl last Saturday, racking up 193 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

The final drive showed everything that has made the new Minnesota Gophers quarterback so impressive. He meticulously picked through the UCLA secondary before throwing an impressive touchdown on third-and-goal.

Magnificent Max 🤩 Watch @maxtbro’s entire game-winning drive against UCLA 🎥#RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers pic.twitter.com/zudJlgF5Bv

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) October 16, 2024

Brosmer had to go through four reads, as the pocket collapsed on him, before he hitting his running back Darius Taylor, who was leaking out to the left, after there was nobody in the backfield for him to block.

Related: What are the Minnesota Gophers College Football Playoff Odds?

Without Max Brosmer, it’s difficult to think about where the 2024 Minnesota Gophers would be. Yes, his quarterback play has been great. He’s 143-of-210 on the season, good for 68.1% completion percentage.

Max Brosmer is the most accurate QB in University of Minnesota history

That’s higher than any other QB in Minnesota Gophers history who has ever thrown for more than 1,000 yards in their career. And it’s not even close. Tanner Morgan has the second highest, at 62.2, during his Gophers career.

I think it’s safe to say the Minnesota Gophers did the right thing, when they let Athan Kaliakmanis walk. In all likelihood, Fleck should have moved on sooner. It is now clear, with Max Brosmer under center, what a good quarterback looks like.

Related: PFF Grades Confirm: Gophers’ Koi Perich is a True Freshman Phenom

The sad thing with Max, is that he can only play here for one season. Nonetheless, he now has the Gophers back on track, at 4-3. Unlike the Scarlet Knights, they’ve won two straight Big Ten games, one against an 11th ranked USC team. How far can they go? Hopefully further than Kaliakmanis and Rutgers can drop.

Athan Kaliakmanis named starter at Rutgers

But that doesn’t mean Gopher football fans won’t see Athan. In fact, if all goes as planned we’ll get a really close look at his NEW JERSEY home, when Minnesota travels to Piscataway to play against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who he was just named QB1 for.

Sources: Rutgers has named Minnesota transfer QB Athan Kaliakmanis the starting quarterback. Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt, who started 18 games the last two years, has initiated the process of entering the transfer portal and will have two years of eligibility remaining. pic.twitter.com/rPcJOLAoU1

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 1, 2024

Kaliakmanis announced his transfer just days after the Minnesota Gophers season ended and the parting wasn’t without hurt feelings. Head coach PJ Fleck had all but anointed Athan as his QB of the future back in 2019 and it ended in a complete failure four years later. No matter whose fault it was, that isn’t an easy situation to be a part of on either side.

Reuniting with old Minnesota Gophers OC friend

No doubt, part of Athan’s issues while a Gopher was the instability at offensive coordinator. Fleck’s longtime OC Kirk Ciarrocca, whose only recruiting mission after PJ Fleck was hired in 2017 was landing Kaliakmanis, jumped on a big raise from Penn State and opportunity to move closer to family, following Minnesota’s historic 2019 season.

He was fired after one season with the Nittany Lions. After one season with West Virginia, PJ Fleck hired him back (2022). He repaid that favor by leaving one year later for… Rutgers. That’s right, Kirk Ciarrocca, the offensive coordinator who recruited Athan Kaliakmanis to Minnesota, is now the OC at Rutgers, where Athan was just named QB1.

Related: Why Did Athan Kaliakmanis Enter the Transfer Portal?

That will make for a very interesting mid-November meeting in New Jersey, should Kaliakmanis still be starter that deep into the season. As Minnesota Gophers quarterback, the “Greek Rifle” passed for 2,784 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 23 appearances, most of them starts. His career completion percentage in Dinkytown was a paltry 53.3%.

Related: Minnesota Gophers QB Max Brosmer Makes Senior Bowl Watch List

Thank you Coach Schiano and Coach Ciarrocca for the opportunity. Let’s Chop🪓🪓 #Committed @RFootball @GregSchiano @KirkCiarrocca pic.twitter.com/sMYt9wri9T

— Athan Kaliakmanis (@aajk_23) January 2, 2024

Related: Buy the Right Brand of Bacon in January and 100% Goes to Gophers NIL Fund

Athan Kaliakmanis joins multiple familiar faces at Rutgers

Kaliakmanis was once projected to be one of the best and most talented quarterbacks to ever step foot on campus. He was a 4-star phenom out of Antioch, IL and Fleck literally skipped entire recruiting classes of quarterbacks to show him Minnesota’s level of commitment. transferring

But he struggled to grab hold of the starting spot when given an opportunity in 2022 and the belly flopped when handed the starting job in 2023, after Tanner Morgan left. Now, he and his WR brother Dino Kaliakmanis, will head to the East Coast and rejoin, not only Ciarrocca, but multiple familiar faces.

Rutgers defensive coordinator and defensive line coach are both former Gophers coaches, who the Scarlett Knights gave hefty raises to escape Dinkytown.

We all knew Fleck was going to bring in competition for Athan, this winter, after the redshirt sophomore struggled mightily in his first season as full-time QB1. But nobody thought the team’s leader would jump ship before it ever got to the 2023 dock.

Related: PJ Fleck, Gophers Have Turned in Multiple Rival Schools for Tampering

So, what happened? What made Athan Kaliakmanis go from PJ Fleck’s leading boat rower to the castoff who took an emergency raft to shore, never to be heard from again? Well, according to Darren “Doogie” Wolfson (KSTP, SKOR North), Athan wasn’t kicked off the team… but he was definitely ticked off.

PJ Fleck chews Athan Kaliakmanis out in front of ‘others’

After Minnesota took a brutal 49-30 loss vs Purdue, it sounds like PJ lost his cool on Athan in front of “others”. Doogie’s source didn’t divulge who was present while when Fleck flipped out on his starting QB, but no matter, Kaliakmanis did not take it well.

“As recently as before the Purdue game [Athan] was rowing the boat, all on board. So what changed? Well, [the Gophers] got their asses kicked in West Lafayette. When you lose that game the way they lost, you become rock bottom.

But there were some public words… I don’t know how many people were in the room, but there was a heated conversation… well, more so a one-sided conversation where PJ was pointing out stuff about Athan in front of others that really soured Athan on his situation here.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North)

Too much blame for Minnesota Gophers issues?

Related: PJ Fleck Must Find Quarterback He Can Trust in Offseason

It wasn’t just this one game where Kaliakmanis felt like too much of the blame for Minnesota’s difficult season was being placed on his shoulders.

Wolfson’s source, which is someone close to Athan, made it seem like the Gophers’ coaching staff was trying to ‘pin everything on him’. That he was willing to accept his fair share, but “he was struggling with literally all the blame being thrown his way.”

“If you look at the situation: Three offensive coordinators in three years. His receivers top three in FBS in drops. Yeah, he made plenty of mistakes but it seemed like those with the Gophers were trying to pin like literally everything on him. He was willing to accept enough blame. But I think he was struggling with literally all the blame being thrown his way.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North)

No promises to start bowl game

Darren makes it clear that Athan’s transfer portal entry wasn’t based on one, two or even three specific reasons. Just like any major life decision, circumstances are far more gray than they are black and white.

Related: New Hampshire Grad Transfer QB Max Brosmer Commits to Minnesota

But the third major factor he singled out, as to why Kaliakmanis entered the portal, was Fleck’s uncertainty over who would start at QB for the upcoming bowl game. If Fleck’s postgame ass chewing got Athan to start thinking about a transfer, this was what sealed his fate.

“And he wasn’t promised, before he announced he was entering the portal, he was not promised [the starting job for the bowl game]. He asked, ‘hey am I good to go to start the bowl game’. Behind the scenes, he was not told, ‘hey you’re 100% a lock to start the bowl game.”

Darren Wolfson – Mackey & Judd Show (SKOR North)

Athan saw writing on the wall

Here’s the thing. This reads like Athan Kaliakmanis can’t handle getting his ass chewed after playing poorly, it’s hard to avoid that assumption, after hearing Doogie’s report.

But here’s what I think really happened. Athan realized the writing was on the wall. PJ Fleck and his staff need to win more games next year and the pressure to do so will be sky high.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Football Transfer Portal Tracker 2023

After Fleck cussed him out in front of [we aren’t sure but in front of someone], it became clear to him that his coaching staff was no longer sold on him being the right answer at QB.

Throw that in with the blame game and Minnesota’s refusal to promise him the QB1 spot later this month in their bowl game, and Kaliakmanis decided a fresh start would be best. And I’m guessing, based on Wolfson’s report, that the Gopher staff didn’t beg him to stay.

In fact, and this could change at any moment, but the Gophers have only lost one starter to the portal so far. That is way below average. We still do not know the circumstances surrounding why starting QB Athan Kaliakmanis is entering the portal, but it’s not uncommon, given what we are seeing across the country.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Football Transfer Portal Tracker 2023

But Fleck and his staff made it clear they were serious about bringing in, if nothing else, competition for QB1. Less than 24 hours later, Athan announced his plans to transfer. The QB they offered, top FCS arm Max Brosmer, has shown he belongs in the FBS.

Transfer Portal Watchlist:

New Hampshire QB Max Brosmer

🥇Led FCS is Passing YPG
🏈6 Games over 325 yards
🎟️146.2 Passer Rating

What school should go after @maxtbro

Story ➡️: https://t.co/yIQsCHVXUR#CollegeFootball #TransferPortal #UNH pic.twitter.com/Q1OpsMl3KN

— Return of the Mac Blog (@NoSznOff) November 28, 2023

Why aren’t the Minnesota Gophers in on all the power-5 quarterbacks in the portal?

Still, many Minnesota fans and media members are wondering out loud why a power-5 school has to drop down to the FCS level in order to find a transfer portal quarterback, when dozens of FBS arms are available.

The answer to that question is a complicated one. to a degree. Obviously, PJ Fleck has set himself up for failure in the portal with the way he has run his offense since taking over as Minnesota head coach. This program has a ‘run-first and foremost’ identity that is not working to their advantage when trolling the portal for bites from top quarterbacks.

Had the Gophers staff (mostly PJ) entrusted Kaliakmanis to throw the ball 40 times per game this season, and he responded with 35 interceptions and 30 touchdowns, they’d be in a lot better shape shopping the QB market.

Even if they had finished 3-9, instead of 5-7, transfer portal QBs would have a lot more interest in enrolling at the University of Minnesota if Fleck had shown any type of commitment to the air attack, even if he didn’t trust Athan or any other quarterbacks on roster.

But PJ Fleck’s biggest problem is… NIL

But offensive philosophy is far from the Gophers’ biggest problem. It’s been widely reported, at this point, how behind the University of Minnesota is in the Name, Image and Likeness game. Dinkytown Athletes, the U of M NIL collective, is gaining steam and making smart deals that will surely pay off in the future.

Related: PJ Fleck Pleads Gophers Fans and Boosters for More NIL Money

It’s impossible to know exactly how much NIL money each school has at its disposal, when going after high school or transfer portal talent, given most collectives do not make any of their contract numbers public, either on the player/school side or the advertising/fundraising side.

What we are pretty sure of, though, is that the Gophers sit in the bottom half of the Big Ten, when it comes to Name Image and Likeness money at their disposal. And given the NIL contract rumors floating around, when it comes to top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, the math on why Minnesota offered who they did, starts to make more sense.

How much NIL money does Gopher football have available?

Well, let’s ask Ryan Burns of GopherIllustrated.com (247Sports). Why are we asking him? Because he is 247 Sports’ lead Minnesota recruiting analyst and a Gopher football beat writer. Not only that but Ryan’s first cousin and regular Gopher Gridiron podcast guest, Derek Burns, co-founded and operates Dinkytown Athletics.

Related: PJ Fleck Must Find Quarterback He Can Trust in Offseason

In his other weekly podcast, Pair and a Spare, with Justin Gaard (KFAN) and Chip Scoggins (Star Tribune), Ryan Burns said that the Gophers, if they had a top QB who was interested in transferring here could probably round up $100,000 in NIL. If they needed $1 million… no chance.

Ryan Burns: “It’s a Big Ten opportunity, where if you’re a kid from, say, New Hampshire…”

Chip Scoggins: “Well yeah, I mean, if you shoot higher than FCS, and I don’t know that they can because… oh the other drawback, the big one, is NIL.”

Burns: “And if you want six figures in NIL, you ain’t gonna be coming here and that’s just the reality of it.”

Justin Gaard: “No matter what? No matter who you are? What if Arch Manning wanted to come? If Arch Manning wanted to transfer, could we find him a million [in NIL]? Could we find him $100 grand?”

Burns: “I think you could find him $100 grand, I don’t think you could find him a $million.”

Pair and a Spare Podcast

There you have it. If stretched, PJ Fleck & Co could round up maybe $100,000 for one player in NIL contracts. But if there’s a quarterback or another player wanting more than that, there’s not much of a chance for the maroon and gold.

Which obviously begs the question, how much does a top QB cost? If Arch Manning or one of the best transfer portal QBs available was interested in coming to Minnesota, how much would Dinkytown Athletes have to find? Would a million be enough? Probably not

Related: Minnesota Running Back Zach Evans Entering Transfer Portal

How much NIL does a good but not great college quarterback cost?

Let’s start with what Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said earlier this week. He told media members that an elite transfer quarterback definitely costs… wait for it… over $1 million per season. Rhule said that some teams have players making as much as $6-7 million in NIL contracts.

Matt Rhule on how much a portal QB actually costs

pic.twitter.com/HYCICilXzy

— Barstool ‘Skers (@BarstoolHusker) November 29, 2023

“Make no mistake: a good quarterback in the portal costs $1 million to $1.5 million to $2 million right now. So just so we’re on the same page, right? Let’s make sure we all understand what’s happening. There are some teams that have $6-7 million players playing for them.”

Matt Rhule (via Max Olson – The Athletic)

Out of all the schools in the Big Ten, even after the four PAC-12 schools join, Nebraska has to have a top-5 NIL budget. Most Husker fans live for Saturday in the fall. It wouldn’t surprise me if most churches near Lincoln hold two collections during Sunday mass or service. One for the church and one for Nebraska football.

If any coach in the Big Ten West knows how much a top QB costs, and I can guarantee they all do, it’s Rhule. Wanna aim a bit lower? Maybe you can’t afford the 5-star redshirt freshman from [place favorite top SEC or Big Ten East school here] or that under-the-radar Heisman candidate from a lower tier power-5 program…

Related: Minnesota Gophers Bowl Projections 2023

But what if we “Rhule out” (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) the top tier QBs? What does it cost to bring in a solid proven power-5 quarterback? For that answer, we turn back to Ryan Burns, who told Justin Gaard that it’s at least $250,000 to find that type of QB, which is far more than what Minnesota can offer.

Gaard: “And what are what are good transfer quarterbacks going for in the market right now, according to your 247 sources?”

Burns: “At least a quarter-million.”

Scoggins: “And that’s… are those power 5 quarterbacks?”

Burns: “Proven power five guys.”

Pair and a Spare Podcast

Athan Kaliakmanis entering the transfer portal

A 5-7 record, 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions later, Athan announced via social media on Tuesday that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Thank you Minnesota ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MK2CsxGYYE

— Athan Kaliakmanis (@aajk_23) November 28, 2023

Related: Gophers Offer FCS’ Best Quarterback Max Brosmer and Fit Could be Perfect

Kaliakmanis, who joined the program as a true freshman in the 2021 class, was PJ Fleck’s prized quarterback recruit for years before he got to Dinkytown.

Fleck and Kirk Ciarrocca hand-picked Athan, a 4-star recruit out of Antioch, IL, and planned their entire future around him, after he committed. That included not taking a quarterback in the class before him (2020).

Minnesota Gophers, PJ Fleck failed investment

But this season, when given the opportunity to make Kaliakmanis the face of Gopher football for years to come, PJ Fleck found any and every opportunity to pull the ball out of his hand and, instead, default to more ground and pound, if the offense ever got into trouble.

Kaliakmanis’ career is very underwhelming, especially given he was committed as ‘the guy’ of the future and helping Fleck recruit the 2021 class during and immediately after Minnesota’s historic 2019 season, when they finished 11-2 and fans were seeing Big Ten Championship games in their future.

If you would have told me back in early 2020 that Kaliakmanis would never get close to being the Minnesota Gophers QB that Tanner Morgan ended up being, I would have guessed Morgan evolved into a legitimate NFL quarterback, before leaving campus, or that you were lying.

Related: PJ Fleck Must Find Quarterback He Can Trust in Offseason

Whether it was a Kaliakmanis problem or Fleck problem, the Minnesota Gophers’ investment in Athan was a complete failure and now they’ll be scrambling to find a quarterback that can keep PJ’s boat afloat next season and beyond.

It also would have meant their third-straight win vs the Badgers, which would have been good for the best winning streak vs Wisconsin since the mid-80s. But most importantly, it would have meant Minnesota wins vs both Iowa and Wisconsin. Consolation prizes are disappointing but that would’ve been one hell of a moral victory.

Related: Wisconsin Canceled 1906 Football Rivalry with Minnesota, Not Roosevelt

Instead, after coming out of the gates hot, the Gophers crumbled under the 2nd-half spotlight in Dinkytown, failing to score a point in the final two quarters. The defense, even less impressive, allowing 28 points to one of the worst offensive teams in the country.

Here are 3 takeaways from the loss

I don’t want to beat a dead horse and I just wrote a feature about this earlier in the week, but it’s important enough to note, yet again. We have seen flashes of brilliance from Athan Kaliakmanis. He’s big, he can run and he is a great leader, not to mention tremendous human.

1. The Gophers need a better quarterback

But that’s not enough for a power-5 quarterback. Athan started pretty well on Saturday but then completely crumbled down the stretch. His final line, an underwhelming 16/28 for 167 yards, 1 INT and 1 TD. When Kaliakmanis threw his only touchdown of the game, he was 7/11 for 91 yards and a TD.

If PJ Fleck wants real improvement on offense next season, he must find a better quarterback in the transfer portal. I don’t care if he has to empty out the NIL bank account to get it done, but with divisions going away next season, it’ll be nearly impossible for the Gophers to keep up with the high powered Big Ten offenses they will now face more years than not, without a vastly improved passing game. To do that, they’ll need to vastly improve at QB.

Does Athan Kaliakmanis ever make the correct read, keep the ball, and pick up major yardage. It was there on 2nd and 5, instead he gives to Nubin for no gain. If AK keeps he has a lot of free space. Result? 3-and-Out.

— Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonGI) November 25, 2023

2. Joe Rossi has a lot of work to do

Injuries have been a problem, especially for a defense that was already expected to be younger than in years past. But when you play as poorly on that side of the ball as the Minnesota Gophers did for much of the 2023 season, there are no excuses that make things right.

Related: Mark Coyle Leaves No Doubt: PJ Fleck is Not on Hot Seat

Joe Rossi is known as one of the best defensive coaches in the country and one of the many future head coaches on the Minnesota staff, but he has a lot of work to do this offseason if he wants those conversations to return to prevalence.

The Gophers defense gave up over 30 points 6 times this season, by far the most since Rossi took over as DC in 2018. Granted they did play better teams in 2023, than in years past, but high point totals weren’t limited just to the Ohio States and Michigans of the world.

Minnesota gave up 49 to Purdue, 37 to Northwestern, and 35 to the University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns… Obviously, Rossi’s defenses have always ranked near the top of the Big Ten and in the top-25 nationally. So, he gets one bad season. But what happened in 2023 cannot happen again in 2024.

3. Gophers bowl status still up in the air

Technically, the Gophers still have a chance to make one of the bottom feeder bowls of the season. While you need six wins to guarantee a bowl game, only five wins doesn’t mean you are eliminated from postseason eligibility.

Minnesota can still go bowling if the rest of the college football season plays out in their favor. As of now, only 77 teams across the country are bowl eligible. If that number doesn’t reach 79 by the end of the season, the Gophers are the first 5-win team to get a bid.

Minnesota loses to Wisconsin, so only 8 teams still alive to fill final 5 spots. Minnesota, however, is atop the APR rankings for 5-7 teams, so would still get a bid if there ends up being only 79 bowl eligible teams. We're currently at 77

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 25, 2023

But in all reality, a 5-7 bowl season is nothing to brag about. Bowl or no bowl, the 2023 Minnesota Gophers football season was a failure.