Athan Kaliakmanis: The underrated quarterback making waves in college football

Playing quarterback is probably one of the hardest things to do in sports. I like being the guy that has the ball in his hands when the game's on the line. I like that pressure. He can scramble, he can throw sidearm, underarm. He's actually one of those quarterbacks that's very unexpected that you don't know what's coming. He can move really well, so I think from the speed and agility that he's done is making him a really good athlete. It takes more means to me to do things different, willing to do things that other people aren't willing to do. My name is Ethan Kayak Nannis. I'm 20 years old and I am a quarterback. This is It Takes More presented by Powerade. I was always the tallest kid growing up and I'd say I did have a strong arm. I was also really slow, so they were like, yeah, you have a strong arm, you're slow. Put you at quarterback. Every sport was a passion for me, but I just figured out that I was the best at football, so I stuck with football. I didn't really believe necessarily that I could play at the college level until I I got my first offer my freshman year. Go faster, get up quick. Good, quick. Working with a quarterback is very important to obviously work on from a lower body perspective. You know, his trunk, posterior chain, glute, hamstring, you know, during the season. Rotational power is obviously huge with being a rotating athlete and an overhead athlete, obviously upper body-wise as well, just keeping his shoulders healthy and his whole body healthy as well. I'd say my work ethic is very determined. If I want it, there's nothing that's going to beat me to it. I'm just willing to do whatever it takes. When I'm in the gym, I like to work on endurance stuff. I think it's important to be strong, but be strong for a long period of time. Being flexible, having a lot of lower body power, hip power, and, yeah, just really your lower body, because when you throw, it comes from your lower body. It's all about that twitch in your hips. The step on the field for Minnesota is truly a dream come true. My experience here has been awesome. The victory walk is before the game when we walk and everybody, fans and people, your loved ones, get to see you walk. I think that's very, very important, not only to the fans, but to us as players, just seeing the amount of people that support us. They're showing their emotions by being there and being happy for us. I think that's just something that really hits home for me. It's really awesome. This is what I live for, man. This is what gets me going, especially out here with my brother Dino. There's just no better feeling than throwing to my brother. Growing up with him, we were always competitive with each other, and we always made each other better somehow, someway, with any sport we played. You're running 10 yards out. Set! He spins the ball very fast. It's unbelievable. It's like an arrow. Like, it just comes at you super quickly. Your reaction time has to be, like, spot on. Being hydrated on the field is the most important thing. Hydration doesn't start before the game. It starts the night before the game. It starts a week before a game. Being hydrated just helps your performance. You'll never see me on the sideline not with a bottle in my hands whether that's with Powerade or water. Consistency with your hydration, I think, is the most important thing. My football dream is just to be the best teammate I can possibly be. Being a quarterback, you gotta be selfless, and I've learned that throughout the years. And I just want, you know, everybody to be the best that they can be and reach their potential. Thank you so much for spending the day with me. This is It Takes More, presented by Powerade.