Whit Weeks injury: LSU LB carted off field, put in air cast after gruesome ankle issue

LSU linebacker Whit Weeks left Tuesday’s Texas Bowl after a scary ankle injury in the first half. He was carted off the field with an air cast on his right leg with 1:41 to play in the second quarter vs. Baylor.

Weeks hit the ground as Baylor got a 1-yard touchdown run from Dawson Pendergrass to make it a 28-14 LSU lead. He went to make the tackle, but wound up on the bottom of the pile, which is when he turned his ankle. He stayed down, grabbing his leg, as the trainers came out to attend to him. They immediately motioned for the cart and later put the air cast on his leg.

As the cart got ready to leave, LSU players surrounded Weeks and offered support for their teammate. The Tigers later responded with a kickoff return on the ensuing possession to extend the lead to 34-14 before a last-second Baylor field goal to end the half.

Weeks is in the midst of a breakout sophomore season at LSU. He entered Tuesday’s bowl game with 119 tackles, including an SEC-leading 58 solo stops, along with 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Prior to his injury, he had a team-high six tackles.

Whit Weeks arrived on campus last year as a freshman out of Watkinsville (Ga.) Oconee County, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 149 overall player from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

LSU had an up-and-down go through Brian Kelly’s third season in Baton Rouge, finishing with an 8-4 record en route to a Texas Bowl berth. As the Tigers prepared for the game, though, they were doing big-time work in the transfer portal – and Whit Weeks plays an important role in recruiting.

“This response is a testament to the role that he plays on this team,” ESPN’s Taylor Davis said on the broadcast after the players surrounded Weeks. “An unbelievable player, but the undisputed leader. He was one of my player interviews this week … and he told me how much this place means to him – so much so, that Brian Kelly has turned to him and Garrett Nussmeier to handle some of the transfer portal situations. They’ve been to every dinner, hosting every guy, explaining why [they] should come to LSU. He bleeds purple and gold. Can’t say enough good things about the type of man he is.”