Setbacks have not stopped the emergence of ASU Football’s LT Welch

(Photo By: Marina Williams/WCSN)

Sports video games are hailed as simulations for real life, allowing players to enact or recreate what occurs on the actual field. Sometimes those games proactively mirror real-world events.

Late on Friday, Arizona State Football junior defensive back Laterrance Welch was playing EA Sports’ College Football 25 with his friend Gavin Ziegler. After a slew of virtual interceptions, Welch began to see visions of what could happen the following night as ASU readied to face UCF at home in Tempe.

“We were playing NCAA,” Welch said. “I kept picking him off right there, and I said, ‘Imagine a pick-six in Sun Devil Stadium.’”

The following night with under a minute to play in the first half between ASU and the Knights, the Sun Devils required a spark. The group had gone back and forth with UCF tradings cores throughout the first half. At that point, while the Sun Devils had stayed in range of the Knights they had yet to take a lead in the game.

From inside his own end zone, UCF redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan Rizk dropped back to pass. With ASU pressure bearing down on him along with the threat of being sacked for safety and allowing two points, Rizk hurriedly fired towards the left hash.

As if by manifestation from the video games played the day before, in stepped Welch.

ASU’s junior corner, who had started the play on the clear opposite side of the field, undercut the pass before giddily skipping into the end zone from just seven yards away. The Sun Devils’ defensive spark plug then sprinted through the back of the end zone before erupting into a celebratory dance brimming with infectious exuberance. It was a release of emotion for a player who had finally, after weeks of adversity, been unleashed to wreak havoc on opposing offenses with his fervor for the game.

“[Welch] is one of our energy guys,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “anytime one of your energy guys plays well and gets that opportunity and has success people feed off of it, so it was great.”

The exuberance isn’t an act either. The touchdown dance that made its rounds on social media after the game wasn’t an unexpected emotional outburst. It’s all a part of the “LT Welch” experience.

“Just me, that’s my personality,” Welch said.

As a four-star recruit out of Acadiana High School in Lafayette, La., Welch received a wealth of offers from top college programs like Texas, Miami, and Notre Dame. The then-12th ranked corner in the country eventually decided to stay home in the Bayou joining LSU in 2022 and playing his first two collegiate seasons there. Over two years he appeared in 22 games, raking in 13 tackles and a pass breakup in a primarily special teams and rotational role.

After entering the portal in early December 2023, Welch found a home in Tempe just six days later. Welch was brought in to be an immediate contributor on a secondary needing to replace four of five starters from 2023. However, a multitude of injuries including a concussion and a calf injury sidelined the former Tiger for a majority of the first two months of the season.

“He was banged up early in the season,” ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward said. “That’s why he wasn’t playing. He’s been a part of the plan since the spring.”

The most heartbreaking of the setbacks came in week three. ASU was finalizing preparations in Wednesday’s practice for its first road trip of the season, a Thursday night tilt against Texas State. Late in the session, Welch suffered yet another injury. Thanks to just one moment a day before the game, and Welch was forced to stay home and could not travel with the team.

“It was frustrating watching,” Welch said. “I want to be there for my team to get that win. I was practicing throughout the week. I was practicing. So it was really frustrating. Just to get hurt during the week.”

After three games sidelined due to multiple injuries Welch ceded possession of his starting role to others, notably redshirt sophomore Javan Robinson and sophomore Keith Abney, who performed to standard in his absence. Once he did return from injury he was used sparingly in his first two games back, against Kansas and Utah.

Despite internal turmoil and frustrations with his situation, externally he never showed it. The proclaimed ‘energy guy’ never allowed his spark to diminish even while barely getting used. Once set free to the playing field he seized his opportunity.

“He hasn’t complained one time this year, not once,” Dillingham said. “He had some injuries early. Came back and lost a spot, been battling back, our corners played well, he started to get back in the rotation, got his opportunity, and played really well. What else could you want especially for a guy that brings great energy and he’s brought it every single day.”

Perspective powered Welch through that challenging time period. From a minuscule view, many would have felt frustrated with the week-to-week status of limited playing time. However, Welch held a more Holistic approach to the season.

“Just knowing that we got a lot of games left,” Welch said. “We got a lot of ball left, and we got a lot of season left.”

A first-half injury to Robinson in ASU’s game against Cincinnati opened the door for Welch to return to the field in a sustained role again. He provided a physical presence from defensive back tallying six total tackles and adding a pass breakup.

Neither Abney nor Robinson is over six feet tall and with an average weight of 180 pounds between them, so physicality isn’t the forte of the two who had started most of the season on the outside of the ASU secondary. Welch, in contrast, stands 6-feet 1-inch tall and is listed at 195 pounds. He provides a fundamentally distinct skillset to the disposal of Ward and his defense.

“He’s big, he’s long, he has good range,” Ward said. “He cares he’s very competitive, and he’s a physical football player. He brings a different set of tools to the toolbox.”

After having a good showing against the Bearcats, Welch earned his first start of the season the new week against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys were subjected to a player finally unleashing the full arsenal of his powers. Welch proved an impassable piece in the Sun Devils passing defense, racking up a career-high four pass breakups and adding four more tackles. The performance earned him a place in the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Big 12 Defensive Team of the Week.

That performance was reassurance to Welch, Ward, and the staff that brought him in, that the player ASU was so keen to pluck from the transfer portal was still the same difference-maker after all the injuries.

“Actually being able to apply it, and being the guy he thinks he can be,” Ward said. “He showed it on the field. Just really proud of him and really happy for him.”

For Welch, doubts of himself ever being a key contributor were never felt internally. No one could ever question his abilities more than he could himself. Similarly, no one would push him farther than he did himself through all the setbacks. All he needed was the faith to go and play and he made sure to repay it.

He’s found that at ASU.

“I see myself at a high level because I’m hard on myself,” Welch said. “I knew coming here was the best decision, because I have coaches who support me and want to see me win.”

For his efforts against the Cowboys, a week before making more impact plays against UCF, Welch received recognition from his head coach in the form of the game ball. It was a long time coming for a player who bided his time at LSU before coming to ASU and having to bide his time even further than initially expected. Now finally in the spotlight, he’s going to keep bringing the energy to Tempe and having fun while doing so.

“That’s why I gave him a game ball,” Dillingham said. “If you look at his Instagram he posted the game ball. It’s awesome to see a guy just embrace his moment and make the best of it.”