34 days until kickoff - #34 Kristian Welch

[Blair Sanderson]

34 Kristian Welch
LB 6-3 220 Fr.
Iola, WI Iola-Scandinavia

High School honors -- Earned all-state and all-region honors as a senior . . . first-team all-conference linebacker and running back as a junior and senior . . . honorable mention all-conference linebacker as a sophomore . . . team defensive MVP as a senior . . . Career -- Played both linebacker and running back, helping team reach state playoffs for three straight years . . . rushed 85 times for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, while recording 75 tackles on defense . . . rushed 120 times for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior with 65 tackles on defense . . . as a sophomore rushed 100 times for 980 yards and nine touchdowns, while compiling 45 tackles . . . rushed 15 times for 200 yards and a touchdown as a freshman . . . team captain as a junior and senior . . . also competed for prep basketball team, serving as team captain and earning team MVP honors.

Personal -- Born May 24, 1998… open major . . . earned academic High Honors throughout prep career . . . parents are Mary and Tim Welsh . . . high school coach was Scott Erickson.

 

[Blair Sanderson]

Here is the Q&A we did with Welch in May before he left for Iowa City.

--

Ready to report: Kristian Welch
Blair Sanderson | Editor

Kristian Welch makes the move to Iowa City on June 11.
HawkeyeReport.com

Playing at a small high school in Wisconsin, Kristian Welch really did it all on both sides of the ball throughout his career at Iola-Scandinavia. Now, the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder will be taking those skills to the University of Iowa where he will begin his freshman year with the Hawkeyes this summer. We caught up with Welch to talk about making the transition to college and much more.

Q: When do you make the move to Iowa City this summer?

WELCH: The date I move in is on June 11.

Q: What are you looking forward to in starting workouts with the team?

WELCH: I’m looking forward to building a relationship with the coaching staff and my teammates. I’m also excited to start my training to build my body.

Q: What are your goals for your freshman year? Are you hoping to play or expecting to redshirt?

WELCH: My goal for my freshman year is to train hard and be relentless with everything that I do. I am expected to redshirt, but at the same time things may change over the course of the summer.

Q: What is the latest you have heard position wise and do they have a number picked out for you yet?

WELCH: As of right now, I will be a linebacker and wearing #25.

Q: What will it mean to you to walk out of the tunnel at Kinnick Stadium for the first time?

WELCH: To walk out of Kinnick for the first time is something that I have imagined myself doing since I committed back in July. I know it will be an amazing experience, especially with the Iowa fan base. To become a part of such a great tradition will make that experience even better.

Q: When you look back at everything, what was it about Iowa that made it the right place for you?

WELCH: For me, Iowa just felt right, especially with the way the coaching and strength staff have treated me and the mentality of the program. My family and I would always be excited to go for a game because the coaches knew my family members by name. The coaches are also very black and white - they really just tell you how it is. Lastly, the style of football at Iowa just really suits me the most.

As a senior, Welch finished the season with 98 carries for 961 yards, 15 catches for 252 yards, and had 77 tackles on defense for Iola-Scandinavia this past year.

See highlights from Welch's senior season in the video below.