UND QB Jerry Kaminski hopes to build off winning Manning Passing Academy's skills competition
· Yahoo Sports
Jul. 2—GRAND FORKS — UND quarterback Jerry Kaminski received the unique opportunity to attend the Manning Passing Academy last week.
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An invitation to work alongside NFL greats Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning is an honor but the Fighting Hawks' returning starting quarterback made much more from the opportunity than just showing up.
Kaminski, a native of Sun Prairie, Wis., beat out some of the biggest names in all of college football to win the Manning Passing Academy's Air It Out Challenge during the event held at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La.
The camp included about 40 quarterbacks and featured marquee names like Arch Manning of Texas, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, C.J. Carr of Notre Dame, Gunner Stockton of Georgia and many others.
"It was awesome," Kaminski said. "It was awesome to build those relationships with the top guys in the country and the Mannings. (The Mannings) were at every meeting and practices and the socials at night. They were guys you could go to with questions. It didn't feel like you were bothering them. They felt like normal people."
The Air It Out Challenge was an accuracy competition. Quarterbacks had 20 seconds to hit as many targets as they could. The top four quarterbacks moved on to the finals and Kaminski sat in second place after the first round.
"It felt like I belonged there," Kaminski said. "It was a great group with no egos. We connected in a good way, and they'll be guys I'm connected with for a long time. We have a group chat going."
Kaminski, who won the competition of the final four competitors, said nerves weren't a big factor.
"I was just wanting to compete," he said. "It was more excitement than anything, being able to prove a guy in the FCS can throw it with everyone else."
In his first season as the starting quarterback in 2025, Kaminski led UND to an 8-6 record and the program's first road FCS playoff win at Tennessee Tech before falling in the second round at Tarleton State.
Kaminski, a junior who's 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, finished last season with 2,570 yards and 26 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He added 133 carries for 607 yards and eight touchdowns in the run game.
Kaminski started the season with 22 touchdowns to two interceptions through the first eight games of the season. He finished the year with four touchdowns to 10 interceptions through the final six games of the season.
"I think it just gives me a lot of confidence going into the season, proving that I can throw with the best of the best," Kaminski said. "I learned a lot of things I can take into the season and improve upon and hone in this offseason and get a lot better."
Kaminski was able to connect with the Mannings through connections from UND head coach Eric Schmidt and offensive coordinator Danny Freund.
Freund had helped former UND quarterback Keaton Studsrud attend the camp in 2017.