The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and head coach Tyson Helton are once again eyeing a CUSA championship.
The Hilltoppers are fresh off an 8-5 season, culminating in a Famous Toastery Bowl win over Old Dominion. However, the red and black no longer have gunslingers like Bailey Zappe and Austin Reed leading their offense.
So, who are the top returners for Western Kentucky in 2024?
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers’ Top 10 Returning Players In 2024
10) Sebastian Benjamin, JLB
Sebastian Benjamin will take over as the starting Jack linebacker for the Hilltoppers in 2024. In his first season at WKU after transferring from Saint Francis, the redshirt junior appeared in 10 games, earning two starts.
He provided valuable depth to the linebacker corps and significantly impacted the field. Benjamin recorded 32 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, three sacks, and two quarterback hurries. His performance earned him a spot among the top defenders in Conference USA. He finished the season ranked 12th in the conference in sacks per game.
9) River Helms, TE
In 2023, as a redshirt sophomore, River Helms played in 12 of WKU’s 13 games, starting nine at tight end. The 6’4″ pass catcher made a solid contribution to the Hilltoppers’ offense, recording 22 receptions for 289 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
Helms had a standout performance on Oct. 24 against Liberty, racking up a season-high 76 receiving yards. He also notched a season-high five catches during WKU’s thrilling 38-35 overtime victory over Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl.
8) Michael Mathison, WR
Western Kentucky wide receiver Michael Mathison faced a challenging 2023 season after suffering a hip injury on the third day of fall camp. Despite the setback, he spent the entire season pushing through pain and testing his limits in an effort to return to the field.
In November, Mathison finally underwent hip surgery. Now, as a graduate student, he’s on the road to recovery and eager to rejoin his teammates. He could be a big-time receiving threat for WKU in 2024.
In 2022, during his debut season with the Hilltoppers, Mathison played in all 14 games, starting nine of them. He proved to be a key offensive weapon, recording 52 catches for 615 yards and three touchdowns.
Mathison’s breakout performance came against Troy, where he hauled in nine receptions for 160 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown. Mathison’s resilience and determination will fuel his return as he looks to make an impact again.
7) Elijah Young, RB
Returning running back Elijah Young will play a huge role in the WKU offense in 2024. Young has been named a preseason candidate for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, a recognition that highlights his impact during his first season at WKU in 2023 after transferring from Missouri, where he spent three seasons.
Young played in all 13 games last fall, starting 10, and quickly became the Hilltoppers’ leading rusher. He amassed 474 yards and three touchdowns on 104 carries and contributed 247 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions.
One of Young’s standout performances came on Nov. 4, when he posted a season-best 139 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a season-long 64-yard run, in WKU’s victory at UTEP.
Young’s versatility and playmaking ability have set the stage for a promising 2024 season as he aims to build on his success.
6) Caden Veltkamp, QB
Caden Veltkamp spent 2023 watching former WKU quarterback Austin Reed have a record-breaking season. He didn’t get a serious opportunity to show his abilities until Reed elected to sit out of WKU’s bowl game.
Despite entering the transfer portal, Veltkamp was still able to play in the Famous Toastery Bowl against Old Dominion, and he took advantage of his opportunity.
In a remarkable turn of events, he led the Hilltoppers to a dramatic 38-35 overtime victory after the team was down 28-0 in the second quarter.
Veltkamp’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. He completed 40 of his 52 passes for 383 yards, throwing five touchdown passes with just one interception. On the ground, he contributed 53 rushing yards on 19 carries.
This comeback, which ranks as the fourth-largest in FBS Bowl Game history, was engineered by Veltkamp — a redshirt freshman who had thrown only six passes in the previous two seasons.
At 6′”6 and 235 pounds, Veltkamp now faces the challenge of competing with Texas State transfer TJ Finley for the starting quarterback role. His near-miraculous performance in the bowl game has undoubtedly added intrigue to the upcoming quarterback competition.
5) Upton Stout, DB
Upton Stout, a redshirt junior from Houston, has been among the most productive players for the Hilltoppers during his two seasons with the program. Despite missing five full games and parts of another due to injury in 2023, Stout still put up impressive numbers.
The hard-hitting defensive back recorded 29 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks. He also contributed an interception returned 53 yards for a touchdown, eight pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery returned 16 yards for another touchdown.
Stout made an immediate impact in 2022 as a redshirt freshman after transferring from North Texas. He started 11 games and played in all 14, marking his Hilltopper debut with a 34-yard pick-six in his first game.
By season’s end, he had amassed four interceptions and 44 tackles, earning Freshman All-American Honorable Mention from College Football Network and Conference USA Honorable Mention honors.
4) Anthony Johnson Jr., CB
Along with Stout, Anthony Johnson Jr. will lead a strong Hilltoppers secondary in 2024.
Johnson earned Defensive MVP honors in WKU’s victory over Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl this past December, thanks to a stellar performance that featured eight tackles and an interception.
Hailing from Miami, Johnson joined the Hilltoppers ahead of the 2023 season after spending two years at Division II West Florida. While at UWF, he appeared in 21 games, amassing 69 tackles, 15 pass breakups, five interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.
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In his debut season with WKU, Johnson made an immediate impact, securing All-CUSA Honorable Mention recognition. He finished the season with 44 tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, a fumble recovery, and five pass breakups, solidifying his role as a crucial part of the Hilltoppers’ defense.
3) Hosea Wheeler, DT
Hosea Wheeler is back anchoring the Hilltoppers’ defensive front in 2024.
The Redshirt junior earned All-CUSA Second Team honors after a standout 2023 season in which he played in all 13 WKU games, starting 11. As a critical defensive cog, Wheeler recorded 42 total tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also contributed with a forced fumble, an interception, and a quarterback hurry.
Heading into the 2024 season, Wheeler’s impressive performance has already earned him spots on the CUSA Preseason Watch List and the prestigious Lombardi Award Watch List.
If the Hilltoppers are going to make a CUSA championship run in 2024, their defense is going to take a giant leap forward, and it starts with Wheeler.
2) Quantavious Leslie, LG
Quantavious Leslie returns in 2024 to lead the Hilltoppers’ offensive line as one of CUSA’s most complete offensive linemen.
In 2023, Leslie started all 12 regular-season games at left guard, pivotal in helping WKU’s offensive line excel. The Hilltoppers finished second in Conference USA and tied for ninth nationally in sacks allowed, giving up just one per game.
Before the season began, Leslie was recognized on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list and featured on the Outland Trophy Watch List.
During his sophomore campaign in 2022, Leslie also started all 14 games, including WKU’s 44-23 win over South Alabama in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. That season, he helped anchor an offensive line that allowed only 14 sacks, the 10th-best mark in the nation and second in Conference USA.
Leslie earned a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List before the season and was honored with C-USA Honorable Mention accolades by year’s end.
1) Dalvin Smith, WR
Dalvin Smith returns as the biggest offensive weapon for the Hilltoppers in 2024.
Last season, Smith emerged as a big-time playmaker for WKU, finishing second only to NFL-bound Malachi Corley in several key categories, including receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns receptions.
Although he only surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark once — against Sam Houston State — he came close in the season opener against South Florida, recording 97 yards after Corley was sidelined with an injury in the first quarter.
Smith continued to shine in WKU’s bowl win over Old Dominion, setting career highs with nine catches and a staggering three touchdown receptions.
Smith will undoubtedly emerge as the No. 1 target in 2024 and has the chance to have a breakout out season for the Hilltoppers.
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