CAMP TONTOZONA—Depth is the narrative of fall camp so far, as each position has multiple players of starting caliber. On the defensive side, some positions’ quantity does come with inexperience, with 11 freshmen on the roster. Among them is redshirt freshman Montana Warren, who played just one game last year due to injury.
“Every day, we push each other to get better,” Warren said. “We know for a fact that if we don’t do our job, someone there will. Everybody has to push themselves and be the best versions they can be.”
Warren had an outstanding spring practice last year and followed that up with an impressive Camp T performance. Yet, a broken collarbone at the camp’s Saturday scrimmage prevented him from guaranteed extensive playing time in 2023. This year, he feels more comfortable with a year under his belt and can be a leader in the defensive back room for the both transfers and true freshmen. His play on the field during fall camp has only demonstrated that much more the overall growth he experienced.
“It feels better because I’m older now,” Warren explained. “This year I know what to expect a little more. Last year I was just doing whatever my coaches wanted me to do and I just walked in blindly. This year I can kind of picture what we’re doing and sort of map out the days instead of just going through the motions.”
In high school, Warren was a track athlete and returned punts as a cornerback. In a position this season where there may not be a clear-cut returner, Warren could throw his name in the circle of possible candidates for the season.
“I did everything in high school,” Warren expressed. “I definitely have that skill from high school that, if needed, I could get back there. Whatever the coaches want me to do, that’s what I’ll do. I think I’m very versatile and can adjust my game to fit the team.”
While he isn’t a returning player for the Devils, junior defensive back Laterrance Welch still has a lot of experience under his belt, playing 22 games over the course of two seasons for LSU. Born and raised in Louisiana, Welch was content to stay home for his first two years but decided to move across the country to Tempe and add to a deep defensive back room.
“Change is good,” Welch admitted. “I love being out here with the team, bonding with guys, and that’s what it takes to win. As long as we bond and stay close, our chances to win go up drastically. I love being up here and out of the heat because it reminds me of back home.”
Across the field, the wide receiving core is competing with full effort from the beginning of practice to the end. Competition usually brings out the best in people, because it tests their abilities. For the defensive backs, it’s no different.
“I come from a school where there was competition every day,” Welch recalled. “I preach that to the receivers, to compete with each other. That’s the only way to get better, is to test each other’s limits. However, you practice is how you’re going to play. Us competing every day only makes us better.”
Welch welcomed the challenge of acclimation ever since his spring arrival and has diligently worked on honing his skills and expected assignments and building chemistry with his teammates.
“I have to learn the playbook like the back of my hand,” Welch noted. “Once I do that, I’m going to be able to make plays all over the field. I connected instantly with some of the guys, especially the cornerbacks. We’re like a family in our room, and we gotta stick together. When the bullets start flying on Saturdays, no one's gonna have our backs on the field more than each other."
Welch's character fits well into the culture that head coach Kenny Dillingham envisioned for his team. The corner keeps the conversation light while joking a lot, which doesn’t prevent him from having an intensity on the field that is hard to match. While it can be hard for other players to find that balance, Welch is the type of person who is eager to lead his teammates to that balance.
“There’s a lot of comedians on the team, and I’m one of them,” Welch claimed. “I think me, Skat (Cam Skattebo), Raleek Brown, and Javan Robinson are the top four. Raleek is the funniest for sure, but me and Javan live together and we laugh all day.”
Now that a full week of fall camp and team segments is over, the trust level on the field between defensive positions is starting to solidify. The position rooms already have that, but the collective defense trust can be essential, given the players' confidence in their ability to count on the people surrounding them.
“That’s something we preach,” Welch recognized. “I went up to all the players on the field today and said, ‘I got your back.’ Saying that lets them know that they can trust us. If I get beat deep, I know that Xavion (safety Xavion Alford) has my back. Once we come together as one team, we’re going to be a special group.”
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