“Whenever you play quarterback, I think is the hardest position to play in any sport.” Teurlings head coach Dane Charpentier said. “People talk about hitting a baseball, but I think a lot of people that talk about hitting a baseball also never played quarterback before.”
When we were first introduced to Preston Welch, it was in 2020 during the pandemic when he was training with QB Mechanix.
At the time, he was preparing for his freshman year at Teurlings, but the work to become a signal-caller has been a lifelong mission.
“I like the leader aspect of it,” Welch said. “I like being the quarterback. I was drawn toward it. Then also when I was in middle school, all my best friends played so we all kind of did it together.”
It didn't take long for Welch to be handed the keys to the Rebels offense, winning the starting job as a sophomore. He threw for over 2,400 and 17 touchdowns, but 2021 was full of victories and lessons.
“I had to learn when to make the smart play instead of trying to make the big play.”
“Your main job is to protect the football and finish every possession with a kick,” Charpentier said. “That’s something we preached a lot last year.”
The corrections for Welch resulted in a coming out party for his junior season. In 2022, Welch threw for close to 3,000 and 34 touchdowns, but it was his grit and toughness that helped lead the Rebs to the semifinals for the first time in 7 years.
“Whenever the quarterback plays with a lot of confidence, that leads other guys to maybe have a little bit more confidence in themselves and in the team as a whole,” Charpentier said. “He proved last year that he's going to put us in a position to win ballgames.”
On the recruiting trail, it's been slower than expected for the 6-foot-2 quarterback. His only offer is from UAB. The doubt, however, is only fueling Welch’s drive.
“I mean every day I'm waking up at six o'clock,” Welch said. “I want to come in. I have a lot of stuff to prove so I'm excited for this next season coming up.”
Entering his senior campaign, only one goal is really on Welch’s mind. That's trying to lift Teurlings to their first state title in program history.
“Rising tide lifts all boats,” Charpentier said. “That's something that I've been told my whole life. If he can raise this team to a level that we want to be at, then I think he's going to get where he wants to go individually.”
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