From the hilltops of Bowling Green, Ky., to the sandy beaches of Boca Raton, Fla., quarterback Caden Veltkamp embarks on a new chapter in his collegiate football career. 

After a standout 2024 season with the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, where Veltkamp combined 3,100 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, he transferred to Florida Atlantic University to lead the Owls’ offense. 

The former WKU quarterback quickly fell in love with football in the second grade of elementary school in his hometown in Bowling Green.

“It’s really all I’ve ever known,” said Veltkamp. “My dad’s a coach, so it’s all I’ve ever been around.”

Before his official commitment announcement to FAU, Veltkamp got a sneak peek of his next three years when he played in the Boca Raton Bowl versus James Madison on Dec. 18, 2024.

After entering the transfer portal on Dec. 10, 2024, Veltkamp announced via Instagram on Dec. 24, 2024, that he had officially committed to FAU for the 2025-2026 season under head coach Zach Kittley. Kittley worked as the offensive coordinator for the Hilltoppers before signing with FAU last December.

“He recruited me to Western Kentucky, but I never actually got to play for him; he left for Texas Tech in December 2021, and I got there in January 2022. But when Coach called me, he said, ‘You’re my guy, I want you to come to Western Kentucky.’ I was all in,” said Veltkamp. “I was ready to go, and I wanted to play in his offense, so the opportunity to come back and actually get to play for him was something I really couldn’t pass up.”

Veltkmap expressed his gratitude via Twitter (X) for his coaches and WKU community, stating that his “only regret was not winning a conference championship in B.G.” He went on to say that “leaving Western Kentucky was the toughest decision that I have ever had to make.”

After the 2024-2025 season, 25 FAU players entered the transfer portal, and they are the new faces who will join the Owls next season. With high stakes on the line for Veltkamp to lead the Owls to a conference championship and beyond, he isn’t letting the pressure get to him.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of pressure. At the end of the day, it’s just ball; it’s the same game as it is wherever you’re playing in the country, and it’s supposed to be fun,” said Veltkamp. “So, when you look at it like there’s pressure, then you go out there and you don’t play very well.”

During his time at Western Kentucky, Veltkamp was crowned Conference U.S.A ‘s 2024 Offensive Player of the Year. In 2023, Veltkamp was named the Famous Toastery Bowl’s Offensive MVP versus Old Dominion. During his time at FAU, Veltkamp wants to add many more accolades to the list — not specifically for him, but for the Owls.

“Be an American Conference Champion. That’s really the only one I care about, and potentially making the college football playoffs; those are definitely the two,” said Veltkamp. “ I don’t really care about the personal ones because when we win as a team, the personal ones will come.”

WKU’s offense consisted of many modern pro-style offenses with variations such as pre-snap motions and run-pass options. Veltkamp felt these strategies help to translate pro-readiness in terms of offensive systems. 

“I think if you’re a good quarterback, you can play in multiple systems and be good,” said Veltkamp. “It also depends on your relationship with your play caller, and that was another reason why I came here because I felt like me and him had a great relationship, and we were going to be able to click well on the field.”

While Veltkamp has a number of accomplishments in his college career alone, his individual highlight for himself came from winning the state championship in his senior year of high school.

“That group of guys was super close, and so being able to do that with them was a really special moment in my career and my life,” said Veltkamp. 

The journey to success wasn’t a straightforward road for Caden. In his sophomore year of high school, he suffered a broken arm midway through the football season. Regardless of this setback, Caden remained determined to return stronger than before.

“He convinced the doctors to convince his parents, everybody to come back and sure enough, he came back to play in the playoffs,” said South Warren High School head coach Brandon Smith. “After six or seven weeks, which is pretty remarkable, and played our last playoff game.”

Smith has worked for the Spartans for 11 seasons and coached Veltkamp throughout his four years of varsity high school football. During those years, the team placed first in their district three times, won the state championship in 2021 and had an overall record of 46-4.

Veltkamp’s work ethic is something his coaches and teammates admire. They feel his character on and off the field helps them become better players.

“He’s got a very driven mind, and he kind of has a coach’s mind; his dad is coach, he’s been around his whole life, so his approach is not as a typical college player,” said Smith. “He’s got a little bit [of a] different drive about him. You make your decisions with your mindset, especially as a quarterback, and that’s what he does best: process decision-making and drive.”

Caden is not just regarded as a great person and player on the field but highly regarded and looked up to as someone off the field.

Wide receiver Easton Messer also transferred from WKU to FAU this off-season, the Hilltoppers’ second-leading receiver in 2024. With a familiar face and a fellow powerhouse on offense for the Owls next season, Veltkamp is excited for what will come.

“He’s my best friend, and we’re super excited to be here and excited to play our first game together,” said Veltkamp.

“Caden is someone you want to look up to in a lot of different ways. He’s a natural leader … he’s a strong individual, strong with his faith, which I look up to,” said Messer. “He’s just a good guy all around; all the great qualities you look for in somebody, he’s definitely got them.”

Both players look forward to playing next to each other again, regardless of the destination; they are just happy they do not have to make the transition alone.

“I’ve had my best friend here with me, which is great; we’re fortunate enough to have each other,” said Messer. “It’s made it so much easier since going in as a new guy is nerve-wracking, even with your friend, but just being able to know that you have each other to balance it out is really good.”

With all of the hype surrounding the new coach and team, Veltkamp let FAU fans know they can count on him to get the job done and that FAU football will have a great season to come.

When asked what FAU fans can expect from him this season, Veltkamp said, “Someone that is determined, someone that just wants to win, and just like you guys who want to see wins, and that’s really all I care about. Whatever it takes for us to win, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Angelina Martell is the Sports Reporter for the University Press. Email her at amartell2023@fau.edu or reach out on Instagram @angieemartell for information regarding this or other stories.