Rutgers has settled its quarterback competition, and the Scarlet Knights are handing the job to Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan for the 2026 season opener against UMass in August, according to an ESPN report.
That decision ends a summer-long fight that Rutgers had viewed as basically dead even. Redshirt sophomore AJ Surace pushed Lonergan all the way through the offseason, with coaches describing the race as one between “two similar quarterbacks ... that both bring great skill sets to the position: Great mentality, maturity, leadership.”
Lonergan now takes over for Athan Kaliakmanis, who leaves behind a major standard in Piscataway. Over two seasons with Rutgers, the former four-star recruit became one of the program’s top quarterbacks, piling up 5,820 passing yards, 48 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 57.9% of his throws, 442 of 763, across 25 starts. Last fall, he joined just two other quarterbacks in school history by topping 3,000 passing yards in a season, finishing with 3,124.
The new starter arrives with a profile that looks a lot like the one Kaliakmanis brought with him. Lonergan was a four-star recruit as well, starting his college career at Alabama near the end of Nick Saban’s run. He saw limited action in Tuscaloosa before transferring to Boston College, where he became the primary starter on one of the least effective teams in Power Four football.
At Boston College, Lonergan played 487 snaps in 10 appearances, making nine starts. He threw for 2,025 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions, while completing 66.9% of his passes, 190 of 284.
“We looked at a lot of quarterbacks that were out there and I just thought his skill set was a good fit for our offense,” offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said in the spring. “I thought he had a lot of growth potential behind it and I liked him as a person.”
Schiano has made clear all offseason that once Rutgers picked a starter, that quarterback would be given room to settle in and take hold of the offense. He said the player “deserves a chance to grow in the position” and to “feel comfortable that he’s our guy.” When asked earlier in camp about the possibility of rotating quarterbacks, Schiano said that he would “like to play one quarterback.”
“When we haven’t, it’s been because that was what gave us the best chance to win,” Schiano said. “We’ve gotten into a situation here where you get a quarterback, he comes in, he grows, he performs, he gets better and better. That’s what I’d like to have.”
In Other News...
Rutgers Rowing Just Added Another Global Stage Moment To Its Legacy
Hannah Heideveld is set for another major international moment, this time with the Netherlands in the womens 8+ at the 2026 Senior World Rowing Championships. The Rutgers alumna has already built an impressive resume across both her collegiate career and the international stage, and her move back into a world championship boat keeps her squarely in the conversation among the sports rising names.
Heideveld previously raced for Team USA at the 2025 Senior World Championships, adding another layer to a career that has already crossed borders and programs. For Rutgers, her next appearance is another reminder of the programs track record of developing rowers who end up making noise at the highest level, including athletes who have gone on to medal at world championships. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Just Got A Reality Check That Could Shape What Comes Next
A tough nonconference test against No. 5 Georgetown gave Rutgers a clear sense of where it stands early in the season. The Scarlet Knights were on the wrong end of a 2-1 result in a match where Georgetown controlled much of the play, generated more chances and held the lead for most of the afternoon, even as Rutgers kept adjusting tactically to try to swing the momentum back.
There were still signs Rutgers can build on, starting with a strong effort in goal that kept the score manageable deep into the match. The late finish provided a brief jolt, but the larger lesson was harder to miss: against a top-tier opponent, Rutgers was forced to chase the game, and the way it responded in that setting could matter as conference play gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Quietly Set Up Another Familiar Nonconference Home Game
Rutgers has quietly added another familiar name to its future home schedule, lining up a nonconference game against Akron for the 2031 season. It is the second such matchup already on the books for that year, joining a home date with Temple and giving the Scarlet Knights another early-season opponent they know well.
The matchup adds another chapter to a series Rutgers already leads 2-0, and it keeps the program on a steady track of scheduling regional and familiar foes at SHI Stadium. The two sides are also set to meet in 2027, which means this is not exactly a one-off arrangement, and it gives the Scarlet Knights another longstanding nonconference relationship to watch develop over the next several years. [Read more 🡒]