The ASWA
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Then again, neither was Liam Welch.
With his football team playing in the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 6-foot-2, 194-pound Samford University quarterback had a breakthrough season while leading the Southern Conference in touchdowns, passing yards, total offense, passing yards per game and total offense per game.
He was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the league coaches, and a finalist for the prestigious Walter Payton Award.
Welch can add another honor to that list, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Small College Athlete of the Year.
Statistically, Welch completed 161 of 236 passing attempts for 2,242 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Samford playing just seven games, he averaged 373.7 passing yards.
That ranked fourth nationally in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Welch also led the Southern Conference and was second in the nation in total offense per game, averaging 424.2 total yards.
He set a school league record by passing for 570 yards in Samford’s game against No. 19 VMI.
As for not playing in the fall, Samford’s own website quoted him as saying: “When we were preparing for the spring, it was freezing cold, every single day at practice. I’m not going to lie, I was thinking, ‘This is ridiculous, I can’t even warm up correctly.’
“But, I actually ended up liking it a lot more, honestly. It got warmer throughout the season, and this last game against Mercer, it was beautiful.”
He was 39-for-49 for 443 yards that day, helping lead an impressive 44-20 victory over No. 23 Mercer.
Welch will be presented with the award during the 49th annual ASWA awards banquet Sunday evening in Birmingham, Ala.
ASWA Small College Athlete of the Year
2020 Liam Welch
2019 Robert Shufford
2018 Nicole Federovitch
2017 Hary Satterwhite
2016 Jacob Tucker
2015 Jewell Ratliff
2014 Chloe Richards
2013 Deonica McCormick
2012 Jaime Smith
2011 Chloe Roberts
2011 Brett Munson
2009 Michael Johnson
2009 A.J. Milwee
2007 Jacary Atkinson
2005 Laura Bellinger
2005 James Hall
2004 Vanessa Ferretti
2003 Will Hall
2002 Douglas Hargett
2001 Bobby Wilson
2000 Tony Cappola
1999 Eric Campbell
1998 Sam Lee
1997 Ronda Price
1996 James Cason
1995 Roland McKinnon
1994 Ronald McKinnon
1993 Tyrone Rush
1992 Danny Lee
1991 Tim VanEgmond
1990 James Davis
1989 Barry Wagner
1988 Jeff Branson
1987 Mike Turk
1986 Stewart Lee
1985 Melvin Allen
1984 Darryl Smith
1983 Scott Whaley