Welker working wonders for Tech

Small receiver making big plays for Raiders' offense, special teams

? To some Texas Tech fans, 5-foot-9 receiver and returner Wes Welker is like Mighty Mouse.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach prefers to compare the undersized, overachieving Welker to the chicken hawk in Foghorn Leghorn cartoons.

“The big fat rooster says, ‘Boy, I want you to build a house,’ and gives him a little stack of boards. And then you come back and he’s built a mansion-type-of thing,” Leach said.

Deceptively fast, Welker has made himself more than a cartoon character. The reality is he’s become a multiple threat.

He proved it again last Saturday by returning four punts for 114 yards and a touchdown in a 42-28 victory over Mississippi.

Welker’s 72-yard return for a touchdown was the fourth of his career. Local television stations played the Mighty Mouse theme music when replaying the footage.

“Wes saw the hole in the middle and took it,” said special teams coach Manny Matsakis. “As a punt returner, he has great vision.”

That’s how Welker started two years ago as a freshman, though he also caught some passes. Last season he turned 50 receptions into 582 yards and a team-best five TDs. He also had a 68-yard reception that was the longest of the season for the Red Raiders.

Welker opened this season by catching five passes for 117 yards against Ohio State, then nine for 153 against SMU. Against Ole Miss, he caught four for 40 yards.

“I like to get the ball in my hands,” Welker said. “I feel real confident when I’m out there playing. I just have it in my head that this is it, you’re going to make a play.”

Welker, an Oklahoma City native, does more on special teams than just return punts. He’s also part of the crew that sprints downfield to cover punts and kickoffs.

“Your gunners have to be fearless, great open-field tacklers and they’ve got to be able to beat guys one-on-one, and he does all that,” Matsakis said.

As quiet as he is, Welker is not bashful about telling coaches on the sideline how he believes he can be more effective.

“He refuses to leave the field, actively campaigns on the sideline for plays to come to him and usually has something pretty good,” Leach said.