LSU has been waiting more than a month to get its best defender back. It’s going to have to wait a little longer.
The No. 15 Tigers host No. 9 Alabama at Tiger Stadium on Saturday in what will be the latest of 64 annual meetings between the two programs, with College Football Playoff hopes on the line for both teams.
However, LSU will likely have to do it without star linebacker Whit Weeks, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Whit Weeks’s Return Delayed Another Week
“LSU is expected to be without star linebacker Whit Weeks against Alabama Saturday as he continues to work back from his late September leg injury, sources tell @CBSSports,” Zenitz reported on Thursday evening.
“There had been hope he’d be able to get back for this matchup but it sounds like he’s not ready to return yet.”
That hope wasn’t unfounded either.
Weeks fractured his fibula in LSU’s 35-6 win over Texas A&M on Sept. 26 and had surgery shortly after. At the time, Zenitz reported there was hope he could return in 4-6 weeks. The Alabama game had been circled as a possible target date.
He was even upgraded to doubtful on Wednesday’s initial SEC availability report, which gave LSU fans a sliver of optimism. Thursday’s update all but slammed the door shut, however.
To make matters worse, his younger brother, linebacker Zach Weeks, is listed as questionable. LSU has already ruled out safety Dashawn Spears, wide receiver Phillip Wright III, linebacker Charles Ross II, and defensive tackle Richard Anderson.
Losing Weeks hurts on more than one level. The senior is a team captain and LSU’s “green dot” defender, meaning he’s the one relaying play calls from the coaches through his helmet headset.
“I’ve not been around this many significant injuries early in the year like this. It’s really unfortunate,” head coach Lane Kiffin said after Weeks went down.
Whit Weeks is Snake-Bitten When it Comes to Injuries
This week’s injury news is a frustrating pattern for the former All-SEC first-teamer.
Weeks finished second in the SEC and ninth nationally with 125 tackles in 2024, but broke his fibula in that season’s Texas Bowl. An ankle injury then limited him to eight games in 2025 (31 tackles, three tackles for loss).
He was off to a strong start this season with 23 tackles in four games before the injury. In total, Weeks has played just 12 games over the past two seasons.
Still, LSU’s defense hasn’t fallen apart without him.
Dahvon Keys has stepped in at the second linebacker spot. It’s the same role he filled last season when he led the Tigers with 92 tackles while mostly playing behind Weeks. LSU allows just 16 points per game (16th in the nation) and 172.8 passing yards per game.
The Tigers have also won two straight, including a 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State — their first shutout against an SEC opponent since 2007.
That defense will be tested by Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell. He threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 31-20 win over Texas A&M. Oh, and Alabama has won three straight against LSU.
LSU Gets Crushing News Ahead of Alabama Showdown