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Near Record High Temps, Owls Praised for Competitiveness
8/12/2026 4:51:00 PM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Following two days off the field, including one with no football activity, the Florida Atlantic football team returned to the practice fields on Wednesday morning with fresh legs and ready to get after the day.
Second-year Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley used the summer to design a preseason that gave the players time to rest, recover and hydrate. The Owls responded and were praised for their competitiveness throughout the day's work.
Full pads will be used on Thursday, which will allow the players to finish the play for the first time. Until this point, plays have been dead at the sound of the whistle. Once full pads are donned, the defense will finish the play, or the offense will beat the defender leaving no ambiguity.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley
On competition between offense and defense
"We talk all the time. We are not trying to win the day like offense wins, defense wins. We are going to try to win as a team and that is by iron sharpens iron every day. We have a great two-deep and we have three deep at a lot of positions as well. You are talking about the IQ of the team; we are a more mature team. We are an older team. We are smart, and I think that is going to go a long way…The competition, it is never ending. It is cranked up right now. We are going live tackle tomorrow for the first time. That is going to show a lot of stuff too. I am really excited with where we are at."
On what fifth-year LB Joseph Sipp brings to the table
"Yeah, you talk about a football IQ, [he is] super sharp football player. He is quick, he flies around…I am excited to watch him get some live tackle. He got to do a few days there in the spring, and then going into day one [of live tackle] tomorrow, we have got some fun stuff planned for our guys tomorrow. We are excited about Joe. Joe has had a great camp. Talk about another guy that is a pro, he is up here all the time, living in the training room, trying to make sure his body is right. I am really excited about him. Right now, that combo, that 1-2 punch between him and Leon Hart Jr. in that box, it is fun to see. They are not letting a whole lot of tackles get to that second level, which makes me excited."
Wide Receivers Coach DJ McCarthy
On how the receiving group is coming together
"[Easton Messer] is Superman...His supporting cast has more depth. We have guys like Kelby (Valsin) coming over from Texas Tech who already knew the offense, Coach (Kittley) recruited him to Tech, so he knows the offense. We are trying to rotate Dom (Henry) playing inside and outside. That supporting staff is going to be better around. If [the defenses] want to just hop on [Messer], we have some other guys that can win one-on-ones. And then with the depth, guys like RJ (Garcia II) coming in, who has been a starter, played in a bowl game and Tuck [Tucker Holloway], who came from Virginia Tech and played a lot of football there. So that is supporting the cast and depth…That room is deep. I have been in a lot of places: UCLA, LSU, Central Florida, some other places where the depth we have at FAU is better than the depth that I had at those other places."
On QB Caden Veltkamp having continuity with the wideouts
"It starts at the top. The relationship he has with the head coach. Then his best friend [Messer] is his favorite target and they are roommates, so they are always on the same page. The receiver core did a great job. They went off on their own, went to another state, worked during the summer, during the offseason, they got on the same page. I am really excited as a position coach and then they are excited to have a guy of that caliber that could have went to a lot of other places and stayed. Him staying and then Easton staying, that made everyone confident of what we were going to be able to do and what we are going to do."
Fifth-year WR Easton Messer
On how the wideout room is coming along
"I really love this room. Not only do I think it is the most talented room I have ever been apart of during my five years of college football, but also the closest, which is super important to me and super near to my heart being my last year. I just think it is a great dynamic between guys like me, Dom Henry, Kelby (Valsin), RJ (Garcia) and Tucker (Holloway) mentoring all the younger guys, not only how to work, but how to master a playbook and make the plays and little things here and there. I do think it is a really special room, and I love seeing those guys every single day."
On what has changed from last year to this year
"Some of the skill we have out there is a big difference. My mind automatically goes towards a receiver room, which we are really good in for sure, but we have really good [running] backs, really good tight ends, really good defensive linemen and edges, really good linebackers, really good offensive linemen. As a collective team, we are really good and it is really fun to see everybody compete in practice."
Graduate DB Tyson Rooks
On the growth since spring
"I'd say we have taken big jumps as defensive backs. I would not say we are comfortable right now, there are always steps that we have to take, but we are definitely taking those forward steps in the room."
On being voted by teammates as captain in first year
"That means a lot. It kind of caught me off guard with me being a new guy. It means a lot. The younger guys looking up towards me. If you ask a lot of coaches and teammates, I am a guy of not many words. I just like to lead by example. I do not really say too much. With everybody looking up towards me, leading by example."
PHOTO GALLERYGallery: (8-12-2026) Preseason #7
2026 FANFEST
Duffy's Fan Fest Set for Aug. 22 at Flagler Credit Union Stadium
Florida Atlantic Athletics will host the second annual Duffy's Sports Grill Fan Fest at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 22. The free event begins at 5 p.m. and is headlined by a live concert outside the stadium and a drone show. Complete details HERE
2026 COMPLETE SCHEDULE
Click HERE.
2026 SUMMER PROSPECTUS
Click HERE.
2026 ROSTER, COACHES AND SUPPORT STAFF
Click HERE.
PURCHASE YOUR 2026 SEASON TICKETS NOW
2026 Florida Atlantic Football season tickets are now sale. Tickets start at $75 plus a $5 processing charge per seat, along with various premium seating options. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit HERE, email tickets@fau.edu, or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS during normal business hours to order tickets or speak with a ticket sales representative.
FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com or through football's Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
Second-year Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley used the summer to design a preseason that gave the players time to rest, recover and hydrate. The Owls responded and were praised for their competitiveness throughout the day's work.
Full pads will be used on Thursday, which will allow the players to finish the play for the first time. Until this point, plays have been dead at the sound of the whistle. Once full pads are donned, the defense will finish the play, or the offense will beat the defender leaving no ambiguity.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley
On competition between offense and defense
"We talk all the time. We are not trying to win the day like offense wins, defense wins. We are going to try to win as a team and that is by iron sharpens iron every day. We have a great two-deep and we have three deep at a lot of positions as well. You are talking about the IQ of the team; we are a more mature team. We are an older team. We are smart, and I think that is going to go a long way…The competition, it is never ending. It is cranked up right now. We are going live tackle tomorrow for the first time. That is going to show a lot of stuff too. I am really excited with where we are at."
On what fifth-year LB Joseph Sipp brings to the table
"Yeah, you talk about a football IQ, [he is] super sharp football player. He is quick, he flies around…I am excited to watch him get some live tackle. He got to do a few days there in the spring, and then going into day one [of live tackle] tomorrow, we have got some fun stuff planned for our guys tomorrow. We are excited about Joe. Joe has had a great camp. Talk about another guy that is a pro, he is up here all the time, living in the training room, trying to make sure his body is right. I am really excited about him. Right now, that combo, that 1-2 punch between him and Leon Hart Jr. in that box, it is fun to see. They are not letting a whole lot of tackles get to that second level, which makes me excited."
Wide Receivers Coach DJ McCarthy
On how the receiving group is coming together
"[Easton Messer] is Superman...His supporting cast has more depth. We have guys like Kelby (Valsin) coming over from Texas Tech who already knew the offense, Coach (Kittley) recruited him to Tech, so he knows the offense. We are trying to rotate Dom (Henry) playing inside and outside. That supporting staff is going to be better around. If [the defenses] want to just hop on [Messer], we have some other guys that can win one-on-ones. And then with the depth, guys like RJ (Garcia II) coming in, who has been a starter, played in a bowl game and Tuck [Tucker Holloway], who came from Virginia Tech and played a lot of football there. So that is supporting the cast and depth…That room is deep. I have been in a lot of places: UCLA, LSU, Central Florida, some other places where the depth we have at FAU is better than the depth that I had at those other places."
On QB Caden Veltkamp having continuity with the wideouts
"It starts at the top. The relationship he has with the head coach. Then his best friend [Messer] is his favorite target and they are roommates, so they are always on the same page. The receiver core did a great job. They went off on their own, went to another state, worked during the summer, during the offseason, they got on the same page. I am really excited as a position coach and then they are excited to have a guy of that caliber that could have went to a lot of other places and stayed. Him staying and then Easton staying, that made everyone confident of what we were going to be able to do and what we are going to do."
Fifth-year WR Easton Messer
On how the wideout room is coming along
"I really love this room. Not only do I think it is the most talented room I have ever been apart of during my five years of college football, but also the closest, which is super important to me and super near to my heart being my last year. I just think it is a great dynamic between guys like me, Dom Henry, Kelby (Valsin), RJ (Garcia) and Tucker (Holloway) mentoring all the younger guys, not only how to work, but how to master a playbook and make the plays and little things here and there. I do think it is a really special room, and I love seeing those guys every single day."
On what has changed from last year to this year
"Some of the skill we have out there is a big difference. My mind automatically goes towards a receiver room, which we are really good in for sure, but we have really good [running] backs, really good tight ends, really good defensive linemen and edges, really good linebackers, really good offensive linemen. As a collective team, we are really good and it is really fun to see everybody compete in practice."
Graduate DB Tyson Rooks
On the growth since spring
"I'd say we have taken big jumps as defensive backs. I would not say we are comfortable right now, there are always steps that we have to take, but we are definitely taking those forward steps in the room."
On being voted by teammates as captain in first year
"That means a lot. It kind of caught me off guard with me being a new guy. It means a lot. The younger guys looking up towards me. If you ask a lot of coaches and teammates, I am a guy of not many words. I just like to lead by example. I do not really say too much. With everybody looking up towards me, leading by example."
PHOTO GALLERY
2026 FANFEST
Duffy's Fan Fest Set for Aug. 22 at Flagler Credit Union Stadium
Florida Atlantic Athletics will host the second annual Duffy's Sports Grill Fan Fest at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 22. The free event begins at 5 p.m. and is headlined by a live concert outside the stadium and a drone show. Complete details HERE
2026 COMPLETE SCHEDULE
Click HERE.
2026 SUMMER PROSPECTUS
Click HERE.
2026 ROSTER, COACHES AND SUPPORT STAFF
Click HERE.
PURCHASE YOUR 2026 SEASON TICKETS NOW
2026 Florida Atlantic Football season tickets are now sale. Tickets start at $75 plus a $5 processing charge per seat, along with various premium seating options. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit HERE, email tickets@fau.edu, or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS during normal business hours to order tickets or speak with a ticket sales representative.
FOLLOW THE TEAM
Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com or through football's Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
Players Mentioned
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QB
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Wednesday, August 12
Saturday, August 08
Thursday, July 30