PISCATAWAY – Let the competition begin.
Rutgers football will have a new starting quarterback in 2026 and coach Greg Schiano is making it clear whoever gets the job will have to earn it.
While AJ Surace, the backup to Athan Kaliakmanis this past season, might be in the driver’s seat, nothing is guaranteed.
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And Schiano also isn’t ruling out the possibility of bringing in another signal-caller via the transfer portal.
“I love AJ,” Schiano said Dec. 16 during a meeting with a small group of local reporters. “I think he’s a very talented, committed player. I don’t rule out anything as far as – is there going to be something we do in the portal with a quarterback? Maybe. I don’t know. We’re always looking.”
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Rutgers quarterback AJ Surace attempts a pass during the team’s Scarlet-White Game at SHI Stadium on April 26, 2025.
Whomever takes over for Kaliakmanis will have big shoes to fill. After transferring from Minnesota prior to the 2024 season, Kaliakmanis became of the more prolific quarterbacks in program history during his two seasons in a Scarlet Knights uniform.
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This past season he threw for 3,124 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Rutgers brought Surace in as part of the 2024 recruiting class. The son of longtime Princeton head coach Bob Surace, AJ Surace has garnered praise within the program for his knowledge, decision-making, quick processing, strong arm and high football IQ.
Surace’s game experience is limited – he played in three games this past season, with his most extensive playing time coming in a two-touchdown performance in a blowout win over Norfolk State after Kaliakmanis went to the bench once the game was out of hand.
“I’m confident AJ has worked really hard,” Schiano said. “But there will be a competition. We have other quarterbacks in the program as well.”
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Those other quarterbacks include Sean Ashenfelder, who’s heading into his second year with Rutgers, and now true freshman Xavier Stern, who just signed as part of the 2026 recruiting class.
Those are the only three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.
That means that right now there’s not a ton of experience behind Surace, who played at Notre Dame High School.
Kaliakmanis provided stability and certainty at the quarterback situation the last couple seasons after he won the job over Gavin Wimsatt.
Now Kaliakmanis’ departure ushers in the start of a new era – and a new competition that will kick into high gear once spring practices begin in March.
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“Around here everything’s based on competition,” Schiano said, “and quarterback’s no different.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers QB competition opens with AJ Surace, Sean Ashenfelder, Xavier Stern
