The “power back” among the wide array of personnel in Appalachian’s stable of running backs ... after a disappointing showing as a redshirt freshman in 2007, had a breakout season last year despite being slowed by injuries during the latter half of the campaign ... missed spring drills while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery but is expected to be at 100 percent and battling for carries when fall camp opens.

2008 : Despite battling injuries throughout much of the season, had a breakout year ... more than doubled the previous yardage total for his entire career on one play in the season opener at LSU — a 44-yard touchdown connection with Armanti Edwards ... prior to the 44-yard gain, Welton had produced just 19 yards on four carries during his collegiate career ... his coming-out party came the very next week in the home opener versus Jacksonville, when he torched the Dolphins for 161 yards and three touchdowns on only 10 carries ... was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week following the breakthrough performance ... picked up 92 hard-fought yards on the ground and scored a pair of touchdowns in the Apps’ heartbreaking 35-32 setback at No. 5 James Madison ... found paydirt twice over the next three games to give him seven touchdowns through seven games but suffered the shoulder injury that would eventually require offseason surgery in that seventh game at Samford and had to sit out versus Georgia Southern and Furman ... returned to the lineup on Halloween night to score one of the Mountaineers’ 10 touchdowns in their 70-24 shellacking of No. 3 Wofford ... posted his second three-touchdown performance of the season eight days later at Chattanooga, scoring all three touchdowns in the first half of the 49-7 rout ... had 54 yards on 13 carries in the SoCon-title-clinching victory over No. 11 Elon, but it came at a price as the injury bug reared its ugly head again, forcing him to miss the regular-season finale at Western Carolina ... he returned to the lineup for the postseason but managed only 23 yards on seven carries in two playoff contests ... despite the late-season drop in production caused by the shoulder ailment, Welton led all ASU running backs with 95 rushes, 544 rushing yards and 11 touchdown runs ... his seven receptions were also tops among Mountaineer RBs.

2007 : Saw action in just one game, rushing four times for 19 yards in home opener versus Lenoir-Rhyne.

2006 : Redshirted.

High School : Returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior ... ran for just under 1,000 yards for a young, 1-9 Jones County squad ... is also a regional champion long-jumper.

Personal : Full name is Robert Keith Welton ... born Dec. 23, 1987 (21 years old) ... son of Leticia Moran ... cousin, Chansi Stuckey, plays wide receiver for the NFL’s New York Jets ... Welton is majoring in organizational/public communications ... he aspires to attend graduate school.