Omar Speights to miss LSU SEC matchup vs. Arkansas with injury

LSU linebacker Omar Speights will reportedly miss the SEC matchup against Arkansas with a hip flexor injury per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Head coach Brian Kelly ruled Speights doubtful earlier this week.

“Source: LSU Linebacker Omar Speights will miss the Tigers’ SEC (matchup) against Arkansas with a hip flexor injury,” Thamel wrote on Twitter. “He’d been downgraded to doubtful this week. He had eight tackles against FSU in the opener and was first-team All-Pac-12 at Oregon State last year.”

Speights was initially probable, but his hip flexor injury worsened throughout the week.

Speights made nine tackles through the first two weeks of the season, before missing last weekend’s game against Mississippi State with a lower body injury.

LSU won’t be full strength for Saturday’s matchup against the Razorbacks, but they are getting healthier. The Tigers are 17.5-point favorites for Saturday night’s game.

As a member of the Class of 2019, Speights was a three-star recruit out of Corvallis (Ore.) Crescent Valley, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 3 overall prospect in the state, the No. 72 linebacker in the class and the No. 575 overall prospect in the class.

Omar Speights high on LSU’s chances in 2023

Speights spoke about his new team’s potential this year during a media availability this summer. He said there’s a lot of anticipation for kickoff in Baton Rouge, especially considering how much better they are after competing against one another all offseason long.

“(There’s) a lot of excitement. I think we can do some pretty great things,” Speights said.

“On the offensive side of the ball? They look good. Every day the defense is out there trying to take over them. I think, like, just the competition going against some of the best of the best? And them going against us? I think it’s going to prepare both sides of the ball for something big.”

Speights, who posted over 300 tackles in his four-year career at Oregon State, joined a Tiger defense that allowed only 22.5 ppg., fifth in the SEC and 34th nationally.