Down and Distance: Why this year's quarterback battle isn't like ones we've seen before
Down and Distance: Why this year's quarterback battle isn't like ones we've seen before
FB: Quarterback battles are nothing new in WKU's fall camps. However, this year's competition isn't quite like the ones in the past.
Death. Taxes. Western Kentucky quarterback battles in fall camp.
For the fifth offseason since Brandon Doughty departed his decorated career on the Hill, the Hilltoppers are set to embark on a season without knowing who the Week 1 starter will be under center.
This year, the competition is between Caden Veltkamp, a local product who etched his name into WKU lore by leading a historic comeback in last year’s bowl game, and TJ Finley, who bounced around in the SEC before staring at Texas State last year.
As is tradition, the WKU coaching staff is being tight-lipped about the battle. Tyson Helton says it’ll probably be a game-week decision as to who officially will be named quarterback and new offensive coordinator Will Friend echoed that sentiment this weekend after the team’s second scrimmage, saying they’re both good players.
And they might be. But if there’s a lesson to be learned form this year, it’s that all quarterback battles are not made equally.
1st Down: QB Battles: A History
2nd Down: He’s Been There Before
3rd Down: The Room Is Big Enough
4th Down: Finley Is The Favorite
QB Battles: A History
Let’s play a game: Whether you graduated from Western in the 70s or are enrolling this fall, you can play. All knowledge levels are welcome.
I’m going to list the names of the contestants heading into each training camp battle since 2016 and you tell me who wound up winning. There’ll be a fun prize at the end.
2016: Mike White, Tyler Ferguson, Drew Eckles
2017: N/A
2018: Drew Eckles, Davis Shanley, Steve Duncan
2019: Steve Duncan, Ty Storey
2020: ESSAY: Who was the presumptive QB1 and where did he transfer from?
2021: ESSAY: Who was the presumptive QB1 and where did he transfer from?
2022: Jarret Doege, Austin Reed
Congratulations! That was really impressive - I knew you had it in you. You can claim your prize in the box below.
He’s Been There Before
In looking at those QB battles of season past, we’ll look to the very first one - the Mike White/Tyler Ferguson/Drew Eckels summer - to see what kind of tea leaves we could work through to see what 2024 has in store.
White came to WKU with two years of experience under center at South Florida while Eckels and Ferguson had minimal previous playing time making his selection, in hindsight, a no-brainer.
That’s where the Hilltoppers find themselves again eight years later, with an experienced QB battling out with a far more unexperienced signal caller. Between LSU, Auburn and Texas State, Finley has 31 games of college football experience.
Veltkamp has four.
This is not the toss up we saw before the 2022 season, where both Reed and Doege had some experience entering camp.
Where Finley previously played doesn’t matter much, as evidenced by Zappe and Reed both coming from the FCS/DII level and winning the job. It’s the fact that Finley has experience to begin with that makes this battle different, and calls back to the first post-Doughty offseason where, as good as Ferguson or Eckels may have been if called upon, it was White and his experience that gave him the edge.
The Room Is Big Enough
A lot of WKU fans - myself included in some private conversations - may have recency bias of the last QB battle the Tops underwent: Two entrants, one winner and the loser didn’t bother sticking around.
That still could very well be the case, if Veltkamp beats Finley out. But if it goes the other way (and, spoiler alert for below, it will), I wouldn’t be expecting headlines that read last year’s bowl game hero is departing.
Doege had something Veltkamp doesn’t when it comes to still finding opportunities: A resume.
If Veltkamp does go somewhere else, he’s probably not landing a guaranteed starting job, at least at the FBS level. If he finds one, I would understand leaving. But where would he find what he’s looking for and not regret it?
Helton running a “weak” (scarcely used) two-QB system isn’t out of the question. Neither is Finley getting injured feverishly knocks on wood. Being next-in-line requires patience and Veltkamp has shown he can thrive in that role on the team.
Only a sophomore, he could also be WKU’s next WKU-grown great QB like a Brandon Doughty, who stuck around despite his frustration and became a WKU legend. Mike White paid his dues behind Brandon Doughty, although he was a transfer himself.
Kawaun Jakes is the last modern era example of a WKU-only QB to start.
The room, and possibly playbook, is big enough for both to remain on the Hill and, barring any truly shocking developments over the next two weeks, both will be part of the season.
Finley Is The Favorite
I’m going to say something that Helton, Friend and everyone close to the WKU program won’t say publicly, at least for another week.
TJ Finley is not only the favorite, but is going to win the QB battle and will start for the Hilltoppers Week 1.
He not only has the experience edge over Veltkamp, but look at what the Tops have done around him too: namely in bringing in Friend, who was on Auburn’s coaching staff with Finley, and brought in wide receiver Koy Moore, who caught passes from Finley at both LSU in 2020 and at Auburn in 2022.
The best way to ease a new player into your program is to have some familiar voices and faces with him.
When toe meets leather in Tuscaloosa next Saturday, TJ Finley will be the WKU QB1.
Can you believe we are so close to kickoff? While we impatiently wait, here are some extra points and final thoughts to send you on your way as we begin our week.
The 2024/25 WKU season is officially underway: The Lady Tops fell on the pitch last Thursday to Austin Peay, 2-1. They’re back in action at the WKU Soccer Complex on Thursday.
Do you see what I see? Is another Big Red-themed hat coming to the WKU baseball program?
ProTops Preseason Week 2 standout performances:
Malachi Corley: 2 receptions (2 targets), 10 yards
Mike White: 11/20, 116 yards
Kahlef Hailassie: 2 solo tackles, 2 passes defended
Brayden Narveson: 3/3 FG, long of 59 yards, including walk-off field goal
More ProTops news: Former Hilltopper hurler Michael Darrell-Hicks has been promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake in the Los Angeles Angels system. This year, he’s 6-4 with a 1.91 ERA in 31 games and eight saves out of the bullpen.
The full 2024/25 WKU basketball schedule is set to be released today. We’ll have instant reactions over on our Twitter page, but we already have a good idea of what the schedule entails. For that breakdown, click here. Or here.