Written by JJ Metz and Ryan Schlesinger
BOCA RATON, FL – Spirits were high on Wednesday as FAU began its first fall camp session under new head coach Zach Kittley, who was previously Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator. Kittley is looking to revitalize a program that has failed to meet expectations over the past few seasons, finishing just 1-7 in conference play last year, and firing now former HC Tom Herman mid season.
A program revitalization will have to start with Caden Veltkamp and Easton Messer, both of whom transferred from Western Kentucky, following a successful 8-6 season in which they finished 6-2 in C-USA play. Veltkamp, the 2024 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, threw for over 3,100 yards last season, with nearly 800 of them going to Easton Messer. When asked about the two’s chemistry, Coach Kittley stated, “I mean, they’re best friends, they’re roommates, they spend millions of hours together.”
Just across from Flagger Credit Union Stadium, the FAU football team was back on the practice field Wednesday morning. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp had a strong day, making several good throws and connecting often with his top receiver, Easton Messer. Practice started with short slant routes before moving into deeper vertical throws, where Veltkamp kept up his solid performance. Even though Veltkamp is expected to be the starter, the quarterback battle isn’t over. Coach Zach Kittley said, “We’re kinda having a five man battle.” One player who could push Veltkamp is Zach Gibson, a transfer from Georgia State who threw for over 1,000 yards last season. He showed off his deep ball ability during the session with some nice long completions. Talking about Gibson, Coach Kittley said, “We brought a guy over in the spring, Zach Gibson. He’s an older veteran, but I didn’t just throw him over with the twos because he’s never played a snap for FAU football yet. I’m excited to see what he put on tape today.”
Coach Kittley also talked about a few players who stood out to him on the first day of fall camp. He mentioned wide receiver Assad Waseem, who caught a couple of touchdowns during practice. Defensive lineman Wilky Denaud made his presence felt off the edge, putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback. And Running back Gemari Sands also made a big play with a run that went for over 30 yards and a touchdown.
FAU has won just seven games over the past two seasons and hasn’t made a bowl game in six years. With fans eager to see a turnaround, Coach Kittley shared his expectations for the season: “We’ve got to start regularly getting back to bowl games. To me, there’s no excuse not to have that on a yearly basis. And if you can build on stuff like that, you’ve got to start competing for the conference championship.” It’s clear that Coach Kittley is setting the bar high right from the start.
The defensive line spent part of practice working with the sled a black metal frame that players drive into for contact drills. Defensive tackles coach Devin Santana brought a lot of energy, constantly encouraging his group with high intensity. The defensive tackles focused on hitting the sled shoulder first, while the defensive ends worked on striking it with their hands to simulate pass rush techniques.
It’s also worth noting the substantial number of veterans on the roster. When asked about veteran leadership, Coach Kittley pinpointed Tyler Stolsky a redshirt junior who transferred from Minnesota emphasizing how he got after newcomers the right way when they weren’t doing the drill the proper way. Coach additionally mentioned CJ Doggette Jr. and Caden Veltkamp as leaders who impressed him.
Over on the offensive side, the linemen were working with a black leverage ball, focusing on striking it with speed and power. One player who stood out during the drill was offensive lineman Ja’Kavion Nonar, who is pushing for more playing time this season. Nonar was attached to a resistance band as he exploded into the leverage ball, showing off his size and quickness. The 6’8″, 315-pound redshirt junior spent most of last season contributing on special teams, but with the departure of veteran linemen like Alex Atcavage and Malcolm Lamar, he now has a real opportunity to earn a bigger role on the offensive line.
Overall, it was a successful first day of fall camp for the Owls, with energy high on both sides of the ball and several players already beginning to stand out. We’ll be bringing you full coverage of FAU’s fall camp every day with updates, player spotlights, and in-depth articles as the team prepares for the upcoming season.