Brian Kelly on Whit Weeks injury: ‘he’s such an important part of what we do’

Coming off an ugly looking ankle injury in the 2024 Kinder’s Texas Bowl, LSU linebacker Whit Weeks has undergone a successful surgery, and could be back as early as 2025 spring practice. Here’s a look at what Brian Kelly had to say about his star defender heading into the offseason.

Head coach Brian Kelly encouraged by an early return for star linebacker Whit Weeks

Star sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks left the 2024 Kinder’s Texas Bowl against Baylor in the midst of the second quarter with what we now know to have been a broken fibula. It was a tough scene for all who were present, and while it wasn’t difficult to find the negatives present, there was one aspect of the injury that left room for encouragement heading into the new year.

The 2024 LSU football season has officially come to a close, and while plenty are headed elsewhere – including the NFL, among many other landing spots – plenty of star power is set to return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 calendar year. Among said returning talent is none other than Whit Weeks, a likely future NFL draft selection, and a leader of this defense.

In turn, when just about the entire purple and gold sideline ran onto the field to give love to their teammate as he was prepared to be carted away, it was a moment of unity for this year’s LSU squad, as well as for the upcoming season.

Whenever Whit Weeks leaves LSU, NFL scouts won’t even need to ask coaches and support staff about his character or football makeup. Teammates’ response here says it all.

🎥; @espnpic.twitter.com/m0YcDtB6yN

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) December 31, 2024

We now know that the younger Weeks brother has since had a successful surgery, and could return to the football field from injury in just a matter of months. This is important for several reasons, as the star linebacker could be back for spring football practice, as well as the entire summer. Furthermore, for LSU head coach Brian Kelly, this is reason to feel encouraged, as Weeks has quickly become one of the most important parts of the culture he’s built in Baton Rouge.

“The early indication is a dislocation of the ankle. Probably will have surgery here quickly,” Kelly said following the bowl game on Tuesday. “I don’t want to give an exact timeline, but we should have him ready to go sometime around spring ball. Obviously we feel for him, and he’s a tough kid that will handle this the right way, but we’ll act quickly on it. His family was with him, but I think that our team responded appropriately, because he’s such an important part of what we do.”

Once Weeks ultimately returns to the field, he’ll join linebackers Harold Perkins Jr, as well as his older brother West Weeks to form one of the most talented, and experienced linebacker rooms in college football. Expect the trio to play a major role in continuing the rebuild of this LSU defense under soon-to-be second-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker.

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