LSU expecting two injured seniors back on defense in 2025, Brian Kelly says
LSU hopes to have two senior leaders, who have been injured the bulk of this season, back on defense in 2025, Brian Kelly said Monday.
Defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory told the Jordy Culotta Show last week that he plans to return for another season in Baton Rouge.
And Kelly said the Tigers’ staff has also had conversations with linebacker West Weeks about the potential of him to utilize his remaining season of eligibility in 2025 — if the remainder of this season allows that flexibility.
Both players participated in the first two weeks of this season against USC and Nicholls State before being sidelined.
“(Weeks has) got two games remaining,” the coach said. “Our hope is because he has another season of eligibility that if we could save that season of eligibility, we would prefer to do that. We’ve had a conversation with the family and with West about doing that. I think he’s an outstanding leader. We feel as though as things move forward to have a veteran presence coming back next season would be in everybody’s best interest.
“But we’ve made it clear that if there’s an injury and if there’s a need to win football games and win a championship he’s gotta be ready. So that’s kind of where we’re at right now relative to West.”
Weeks has played in 40 college games, going back to his freshman season at Virginia in 2021 and including a combined 29 games the past two-plus seasons at LSU.
He has recorded 50 tackles, including four for loss and 1.5 sacks, for the Tigers during that span.
The status for Guillory, still recovering from a ruptured Achilles, is more clear-cut after his announcement last week.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Strength of Schedule
Ranking SOS of CFP Top 25
- 2
ACC commish fires back
Jim Phillips calls out CFP committee
- 3
Portnoy bets on Bama
$100k wager to win $1.1M on Alabama
- 4
Cignetti responds
Hoosiers HC fires back at SEC
- 5Trending
Ray Lewis
FAU sources respond to Ray Lewis report from ESPN
Kelly discussed the veteran presence the former Alexandria star would provide to defensive tackle group that relied heavily on first-year players this season, including freshmen Ahmad Breaux and Dominick McKinley out of Ruston and Acadiana, respectively.
Guillory played all 13 games for the Tigers last season, including one start, and finished with 27 tackles and two quarterback hurries and entered this season as a clear leader at the position.
“He’s a stalwart,” the coach said. “He’s a physically gifted player, strong, mature. He brings a presence certainly for us in terms of the leadership part, and he’s a really good football player. So you’re just adding some stability to the defensive line with some really good young players that are getting seasoned this year.
“So where as much as it was a concern or a question mark coming into the season, I think as we evolve through the season, with having him back and the guys that have gotten a lot of work at that position and in recruiting, I think we’re gonna find that back to being what it should be at LSU and that’s a strength at that position.”
The Tigers have four defensive linemen currently committed for the 2025 class, along with a pair of edge rushers and four linebackers, as Kelly, defensive coordinator Blake Baker, defensive line coach Bo Davis and edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples work to restock the defensive front.
The class also features a handful of defensive back commitments as Baker, cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and safeties coach Jake Olsen rebuild the secondary.
