Caden Veltkamp got his chance and ran with it.

Now the redshirt sophomore quarterback is embracing another opportunity – competing to become Western Kentucky’s starter.

Veltkamp, you might recall, was last seen on televisions nationwide slicing up Old Dominion’s secondary in the Famous Toastery Bowl. The 6-foot-6 former South Warren High School standout entered the game to replace struggling starter Turner Helton – who was filling in for injured starter Austin Reed – with the Tops trailing by three touchdowns. That deficit eventually grew to 28-0 in the second quarter.

What followed was one of the great individual performances in Hilltopper football history as Veltkamp delivered WKU’s single-best output by a quarterback of the season by completing 40 of 52 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns, plus another 53 yards rushing on 19 carries to lead the Tops to a 38-35 overtime victory in Charlotte, North Carolina.

For Veltkamp, who had six career completions in limited snaps over his first two seasons at WKU, that bowl-game performance offered real, concrete proof of what he knew all along – he’s a quarterback and intends to stay one.

Before that breakout game, Veltkamp wasn’t sure that could happen at WKU – he was in the NCAA transfer portal during the bowl game and said afterward he had been approached by the Tops about switching positions to tight end.

“They didn’t know if I could play or not because I hadn’t played in a game,” Veltkamp said. “So I think they were surprised a little bit, but it was a good thing because we won as a team.”

One dazzling night in Charlotte changed all that thinking, and less than two weeks later, Veltkamp announced his return to WKU.

“I never really wanted to leave,” Veltkamp said. “I felt like I wasn’t going to get to play quarterback here and that was the big thing for me because I felt like I was a quarterback. Regardless of anybody else’s opinion, I felt like I was a quarterback and the opportunity I had in the bowl game that coach (Tyson) Helton gave me was huge for me because I finally got a chance to show that I can play quarterback in college.

“But I never really wanted to leave – it was always about playing … Coach Helton brought me in the next week and we had a few conversations. The big thing was hey, you’re going to get a chance to compete for the starting job. And that was my main thing. I just wanted to go somewhere where I had that chance to compete to play. And when he gave me that opportunity here, there was no reason for me to leave.”

Tyson Helton made clear Veltkamp will get his shot to win the starting job, but he will have to compete for it. In addition to Turner Helton and incoming freshman Tucker Parks, Veltkamp is battling with TJ Finley, a 6-7 redshirt junior transfer from Texas State with extensive experience as a starting quarterback.

Tyson Helton said before the opening of spring practice last week that he won’t name a starting quarterback until the fall, giving all the QBs on the roster plenty of time to make their case.

“I like the camaraderie in the room, the chemistry in the room,” Helton said. “The one thing we always try to do is we try to have a lot of competition in the room. Caden had a great bowl game. I’m really excited about all the quarterbacks in the room getting an opportunity to compete.”

Veltkamp said his approach to that competition hasn’t changed, even after that breakout bowl performance.

“We have a really good room right now in me, TJ, Turner and Tucker and we’re all competing the same,” Veltkamp said. “We’re all striving to have the same thing, to be playing on game day, game one. But it’s the same approach, nothing changes. You approach the game the same way no matter where you’re at on the depth chart.

“ … It’s been good, just getting a chance to really step into a leadership position, so that’s changed a lot.”

Finley, who started games at LSU and Auburn before landing at Texas State last year, might represent Veltkamp’s biggest competition – figuratively and literally – for the starting QB job. Last season with the Bobcats, Finley was All-Sun Belt Conference honorable mention selection after completing 279 of 414 passes for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. Finley started all 13 games for the Bobcats and added 81 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

WKU redshirt junior tight end River Helms is confident that whoever wins the starting job will succeed.

“Caden’s a gamer,” Helms said. “He’s going to get first downs, he’s going to make a play happen. Either him, TJ – whoever it is back there – you’ve got to trust who it is (that) wherever you’re running the route, the ball’s going to be where it’s supposed to be.

“ … We’ve got some great guys throwing the ball. Everybody does things great, they do different things so whoever’s throwing it to you, you’ve got something good coming at you is all I’ve got to say.”

Veltkamp said he focused on improving weaknesses in his game in preparation for this spring and fall at WKU. He also put on a bit of weight, now playing at 240 pounds – up from 235. He also has the added confidence of his teammates and coaches – and himself – of having produced on the field.

“I think it’s different just because I’ve played in a game and it meant something, and when I was playing I wasn’t just playing in garbage time or anything like that,” Veltkamp said. “So I think that was the big thing is that I have real game experience, at least part of a game, now.”

With the transfer portal opening back up April 15 for 15 days, the opportunity would again be there to gauge interest from other programs. Veltkamp said his focus is on the competition to start, which should extend into the fall and past that transfer window.

“I’m not focused on that at all,” Veltkamp said. “Right now it’s spring ball, it’s winning a competition. Coach Helton continues to say he won’t name anybody the starter until fall camp, so my focus is being here and continuing to help this team become better to win a championship because that’s ultimately our goal. Whether he starts me, whether he starts TJ, whether he starts Turner or Tucker … we’re all striving for the same goal and that’s to win a championship.”{&end}