Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 12-13@ Michigan | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-14vs Monmouth | 6 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#42
Gabe Welch
Junior linebacker for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 225 lb · Arkansas City, KS
Returning to Western Michigan for 2026
The numbers
7
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs Monmouth
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Western Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- 7 tackles in 2025. Then 7 in 2026.
Gabe Welch
Second year in the Western Michigan linebacker corps, same address the whole way. The receipt: 6 tackles against Monmouth — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Western Michigan
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Lance Taylor — 11-5 over that span.
2025Western Michigan10-4HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy
2026Western Michigan1-1HC: Lance Taylor · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Taylor
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Western Michigan | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Western Michigan | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 14 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–14
vs Monmouth
6 TOT · 5 SOLO
Dominant 35-point win at home against Monmouth.
With B. Lowry — 212 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 56.4 · 40 rush yds (4 car) · R. Millmore — 48 AVG · 56 LONG · 4 NO
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Western Michigan
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Western Michigan
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +1 net (14 in / 13 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Western Michigan · Last season: 10-4 · Talent rank #108 · 2026 recruiting class #112
The linebacker corps · Western Michigan
- #9James Camden85 tackles · 2025
- #10Sefa Saipaia Jr.77 tackles · 2025
- #47Domanick Moon23 tackles · 2025
- #12Dillon Moore19 tackles · 2025
- #42Gabe Welch7 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · Western Michigan team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology