More than 107,000 raucous fans were in the stands screaming “Cal-za-da” when quarterback Zach Calzada outdueled Heisman winner Bryce Young to deliver Texas A&M a historic win over Alabama. He had to nearly be dragged off the field after a defender rolled on his ankle, but he left Kyle Field on the shoulders of fans.
Two years later, Calzada played on Saturdays only 180 miles from College Station. But in reality, the jaunt down backroads and state highways was a lifetime away.
Benson Stadium at the University of the Incarnate Word technically seats 6,000 fans, making it smaller than a number of the high school fields in San Antonio. Many weeks, only a few dozen people show up for games, most of them parents.
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“My 2A high school stadium was better,” former UIW coach Eric Morris said last year.
It’s a far cry from the pressures of the Southeastern Conference. But after experiencing every high and low that college football has to offer, the diminutive stadium with a rust red track surrounding became home.
Calzada came to the SEC as a heralded recruit, handpicked by Jimbo Fisher as Texas A&M’s quarterback of the future. He threw for nearly 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns, including the win over Alabama. But after transferring to Auburn, things fell apart.
He arrived in 2022, right in time for one of the most chaotic moments in program history. Austin Davis, the assistant coach who recruited him, left only days after he arrived on campus. It was only one of many warning signs as Bryan Harsin was fired less than two years into the job, launching Calzada into quarterback purgatory.
That’s what led him to San Antonio. And in the aging classrooms where the team holds its meetings, it’s where Calzada was finally able to fall in love with football again, and lead him to a rare final chance at Kentucky.
“It kind of felt like a high school environment,” Calzada told CBS Sports. “It’s a hidden gem out there. We just didn’t have great facilities, we didn’t have a whole lot of resources, we just kind of strapped up and played football. That’s, I feel like, what I really needed.”
Quarterback factory
When Calzada entered the transfer portal for the second time, he initially did not return calls from UIW coach Clint Killough. The idea of downgrading to FCS felt like a last resort for a player that boasted Georgia, Tennessee and Maryland offers out of high school. But after weeks of looking, Calzada finally came to understand — he was offered a golden ticket at one of America’s top quarterback factories.
“I think he was just really looking for a place that had a plan for him,” Killough told CBS Sports. “He was at the peak of college football after they beat Alabama, but when he got to Auburn, I don’t think he enjoyed that time. It didn’t go like he thought it would.”
Over the past five years, UIW has established itself as the preeminent quarterback factory in the FCS. Morris took over the program in 2018 and led them to a Southland title and the program’s first FCS Playoffs appearance in his first year behind Freshman All-American QB Jon Copeland. He was pushed out in Spring 2021 by a freshman named Cameron Ward — yeah, the future No. 1 overall pick. When Ward left with Morris for Washington State, G.J. Kinne helped coach Lindsey Scott — on his fifth school in seven years — into a Walter Payton Award winner as the best player in FCS in 2022.
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However, Calzada was a unique reclamation project at UIW under Killough, a first-year coach. He had more success under his belt than most when he arrived in San Antonio, but his decision-making was a serious question mark. During his season starting at Texas A&M, he completed only 56% of his passes and threw interceptions in seven straight games.
With his coming down to FCS, Killough saw a player who expected to come in and be exceptional right away. With the success of Ward and Scott in previous years, his talent was nothing special at UIW. He had a lot to learn, and it took him a while to realize just how much the school could teach him.
Luckily, the high-powered Incarnate Word offense functions as exposure therapy. In two seasons, Calzada threw more than 800 pass attempts to every corner of the stadium.
“We just aired it out,” Calzada said. “We spread the field. We attacked every aspect, whether it was bubble screens, deep option routes, whatever. I was just able to really let go, play loose and have fun.”
Learning from reps
In Year 1, some of that hesitation came through. Calzada played only seven games against Division I competition, throwing nine interceptions. He took many shots down the field, but struggled with the short game and still had several miscues.
A year later, he cleaned his game up. Calzada only threw interceptions in six of his 14 games. His turnover-worthy play rate dropped by more than half from 5.5 to 2.3%. And in a sign of maturity, Calzada threw the ball away 26 times compared to three the year before, helping his pressure-to-sack rate drop from 22.1% to 12.1%. To translate that into simple English: Calzada finally learned how to take care of both the ball — and himself.
Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan evaluated Calzada’s reps at both Texas A&M and UIW, and saw a player who progressed tremendously.
“We certainly loved, in his earlier film, his ability to make plays, extend plays and do things on the run,” Hamdan told CBS Sports. “At Incarnate Word, we saw a lot more understanding of the pocket, getting through his progressions, feeling more comfortable.”
But perhaps the greatest gift to Calzada was being humbled. UIW had a chance to win a conference championship in 2023 on Homecoming against Nicholls. There were celebrations going on in the locker room pregame as the Cardinals expected to win handily. Instead, Calzada threw two interceptions as UIW lost by two touchdowns.
“It was a dose of humility that this stuff is not guaranteed,” Killough said. “I think that turning point really shifted Zach’s mentality and focus, and it galvanized him as a leader on this team.”
After the season, Killough came to Calzada and directly told him, this team does not need him to win. If Calzada wanted to return as the guy, he had to step up as a leader. He took the challenge head-on. Calzada went on to lead UIW to an undefeated Southland championship. He captured Southland Player of the Year and earned his first All-American honor. Against that same Nicholls team, Calzada threw for 270 yards and five touchdowns in a 55-10 decimation.
“I had to really look at myself and decide what kind of teammate and leader I wanted to be,” Calzada said. “It was tough, but it was an amazing experience. Those guys poured into me.”
But despite his success, Calzada knew he had one piece of unfinished business. He had to succeed in the SEC again. He had to get back to that stage.
Final act
Calzada is heading into his seventh season of college football, a fact that still brings snickers from his teammates. He was hilariously part of the same recruiting class as Sam Howell, who is entering his fourth NFL season. Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix were both considered old quarterback prospects when they entered in 2024; Calzada will enter the draft in 2026.
But seven years in, Calzada has experienced everything. He’s been the guy, lost a job, worked through an injury and been passed over. He’s transitioned between four different programs and thrown for more than 8,500 yards and 70 touchdowns.
When he went into the market to search for an instant-impact quarterback, Hamdan was hoping to find a player who would not shy away from competing in the SEC. And after his winding journey, Calzada was a perfect match.
“I think the experience factor was huge,” Hamdan said. “I think in this league, talent is not enough. You learn quickly that you have got to have somebody who’s ready to embrace the week-to-week battle… he knows what it’s like the night before to be ready and preparing himself when you’re playing on CBS. And that’s a big, big thing we’re relying on.”
Kentucky’s passing offense last season was a disaster, ranking No. 14 in the SEC in yardage and dead-last in passer rating. To make matters worse, receivers Dane Key and Barion Brown — both NFL prospects — decided to transfer after the pitiful campaign. A streak of eight straight bowl appearances came to a close during a 4-8 campaign.
Getting replacement level value at quarterback wasn’t enough. They needed a player who could add some dynamism at the position. Kentucky also brought in six new transfer receivers to try and give Calzada a chance to go downfield.
“I think we’ve worked with guys where the far 20% of the field is something we don’t utilize very much,” Hamdan said. “Sometimes he feels more comfortable making those throws than he does throws within five yards, I think that’s something that’s unique.”
It has been a lifetime since Calzada limped off the field in celebration after vanquishing Nick Saban’s Alabama. At the time, there’s no way he could have foreseen the heartbreak and reclamation that came after. Lord knows he didn’t expect to still be playing college football after seven seasons. His creaky knees are the best reminder.
Four years later, Calzada is set to play his first SEC game against No. 20 Ole Miss, coached by Saban disciple Lane Kiffin, on Sept. 6. Saban is gone, but fellow proteges Kirby Smart (Georgia) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) are on the schedule for Kentucky.
There are no guarantees that he can deliver the same magic that brought 107,000 to chant his name. In his first start, a 24-16 win over Toledo, Calzada was shaky, only throwing for 85 yards, but rushing for a touchdown. Regardless, when he takes the field, Calzada’s story has the chance to come full circle.
“It’s been an amazing journey and I never expected it,” Calzada said. “But I guess that’s the beauty in it. I’m just thankful to be back here and to keep playing football.”
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