Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous All-American at USC, lit up college football with more than 4,500 passing yards and 42 touchdowns that season.

Pair him with Kentucky’s Zach Calzada and it might raise eyebrows, but the two share a crucial tie – both were shaped under the guidance of quarterback developer Conner McQueen. 

When Calzada announced his initial commitment to the Wildcats, many people were asking why the Wildcats recruited him in the first place.

Transitioning from a top-ranked portal quarterback in Brock Vandagriff to an unranked player projected as the Wildcats’ QB1 left questions about Calzada and the coaching staff’s offensive vision, particularly with an up-and-coming leader in second-year quarterback Cutter Boley.

However, what many overlook is that although Incarnate Word isn’t a program known for producing Heisman winners or national championships, it housed a secret weapon that knew how to make a quarterback. 

As offensive coordinator at UIW and now an offensive quality control coach and assistant wide receivers coach with the Las Vegas Raiders, McQueen has proven that his relationships with quarterbacks are nearly unmatched. 

Luckily for UK, Calzada has spent the last two seasons developing under his leadership. 

By the time Calzada arrived at Incarnate Word in 2023, his college career felt like it was at a crossroads. A former SEC starter who had bounced from Texas A&M to Auburn, Calzada was looking for a fresh start, and he found it under first-year offensive coordinator McQueen.

McQueen’s offense was built for quarterbacks to thrive. In his debut season, Incarnate Word ranked second in the FCS in both total and passing offense, while leading the Southland Conference in nearly every major category, including scoring, passing yards per game, yards per carry, first downs, third-down efficiency and total touchdowns.

Calzada was at the center of it, earning Southland Newcomer of the Year honors as he helped fuel one of the most explosive units in the FCS.

The following season, Calzada’s growth accelerated as he became the Southland Conference Player of the Year, leading the FCS in passing touchdowns (33) while finishing sixth in passing yards (3,351) and eighth in total offense with more than 3,500 yards. 

Under McQueen’s system, UIW again topped the conference in offensive touchdowns (61), total points (471), passing yards (3,859) and passing touchdowns (37).

For Calzada, the numbers weren’t just stats; they were a steppingstone to get to the place he knew he was meant to be and that’s back in the SEC.

“You know, there was a two-to three-year stretch where it was looking like I might not ever play in this league again and you know that hurt,” Calzada admitted. “Waking up every day the last two years, you know, my focus was on my team back there, but it’s always been in the back of my mind, just I wanted to get back here, so I’m extremely grateful to be here.” 

His potential to return as a starting quarterback in the SEC went far beyond the numbers he had produced at UIW.

Still, it was more importantly highlighted by his newfound confidence as a leader, in part thanks to his offensive coordinator, McQueen. 

“I think he really taught me how to be a good teammate and a good leader,” Calzada said. “That’s what really stuck out to me from him, and [head] coach Killough and Incarnate Word was just, you know, growing as a person, growing as a teammate, growing as a leader.”

While many people may see a player moving from the best conference in the country to an FCS program, for Calzada, it was the best decision he could have made for his career. 

Not only was Calzada equipped with years of experience as an SEC quarterback, but he is now returning to the conference with a sense of confidence, motivation, and loyalty that is driving him to be the best leader possible. 

“There was a time where I was pretty selfish, and you know, remembering that it’s about this team, and it’s about these guys, and you know, a lot of their careers rest on the decisions that I make,” Calzada explained. “I need to be able to trust them, and they need to be able to trust me. So just building those relationships and that trust.”

From Texas A&M to Auburn, before finishing his last two seasons down in the FCS with Incarnate Word, Calzada’s journey as a quarterback has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. 

The question now is whether he truly is ready to find his footing in the SEC and lead the Wildcats to success – and if the third time really is a charm for Calzada.