Gophers QB Kaliakmanis says he’ll enter transfer portal
Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis looks for a receiver during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Nebraska, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
With the college football regular season now complete, player movement is starting to get underway. That is true at the University of Minnesota, too, as a starter announced his intent to move on from the program on Tuesday.
Starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis tweeted a message that he plans to enter the transfer portal and finish his collegiate career somewhere else. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
The redshirt sophomore threw for 1,838 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and ran for another 94 yards and two scores in his first season as the full-time starter. However, he also struggled at times and was inconsistent in his play, tossing nine interceptions and completing at least 60% of his passes in only four games.
As he enters the portal, the Gophers will likely also use the portal to search for his replacement.
Minnesota finished the season at 5-7 (3-6 in conference play) but grabbed a bowl game thanks to its academic progress score. While that bowl game hasn’t formally been announced yet, it appears the Gophers will have to rely on redshirt senior Cole Kramer or true freshman Drew Viotto for the game in light of Kaliakmanis’ departure.