WVU fullback Wellman going unnoticed no longer
Elijah Wellman doesn’t need the press clippings and praise that comes with being a college football player. Playing it is more than enough for the in-state native.
One of the four representatives for West Virginia at Big 12 Media Days, the bruising fullback has developed into one of the leaders on the offensive side for the Mountaineers. Mostly by letting his actions do the talking for him.
And while his position is not a glamorous one, he's embraced it.
That's not to say his work goes entirely unappreciated.
He gets all the praise he needs from the people that matter the most, his coaches and teammates. When Justin Crawford rushes for 100-yards, Wellman is the first person to receive thanks and a pat on the back.
It’s obvious the admiration that Crawford has for Wellman just in the way that he talks about his lead blocker. There is respect, there is a sense of pride. Because without Wellman handling his assignments, the job would be much more difficult for the running backs.
“He helps me out in so many ways. Without him I wouldn’t be able to get through the line. He’s my starter, he gets me going,” Crawford.
Same can be said for the rest of the running backs in the position room.
“My work doesn’t get unnoticed,” Wellman acknowledged.
Not bad for a position that’s been referred to as a dinosaur in many circles but is slowly making a comeback. And the Spring Valley product is proud to represent that.
For head coach Dana Holgorsen, the fullback has been a staple of his offense since his time at Oklahoma State when the personnel on the team dictated his play calling.
That was the creation of the diamond formation. Those principles have carried over to West Virginia and Wellman received a scholarship offer in the class of 2013 in large part because of his athleticism and his ability to do a variety of things at that spot.
While fullback is a position that can sometimes be addressed by walk-ons, particularly because of the size and nature of the spot, Wellman was an exception.
“Having a guy like Eli gives us options,” Holgorsen said.
And he has done just that.
Wellman has appeared in 38 games in his career, largely in his role as a blocker although he has touched the ball on offense 41 times on the ground and through the air.
Adding a fullback in the backfield forces the defense to defend an extra gap while opening up the playbook more for options. That is only further stretched when you have versatility at the spot as well which means you can move the position around into multiple slots on the field.
“We’ve been doing it quite a while,” Holgorsen said.
So while you can refer to the position as a dinosaur, it isn’t extinct quite yet.