Lane Kiffin Reveals Massive Priority for LSU Football Heading Into Offseason

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers are set to navigate a critical offseason in Baton Rouge with roster reconstruction emerging as a priority across the next three weeks.

The NCAA Transfer Portal will officially open for business on Jan. 2 for a two-week stretch, but player retention is also a critical component for the program.

Kiffin and Co. will hit the reset button on offense, but there are Tigers on defense that are priorities to keep in Baton Rouge with defensive coordinator Blake Baker returning for the 2026 season.

Across the 2025 season under Baker's watch at LSU, he brought the Tigers into the Top-25 of total defense while also sitting among the Top-15 in turnovers gained with 21 in total over 12 games this fall.

LSU’s defense ranked in the top half of the SEC across the 2025 campaign after allowing 319.7 yards per game.

Bakers unit also held teams to 18.3 points on average, which ranked fourth in the conference.

LSU Tigers Football: Blake Baker. — Courtesy of Blake Baker's Instragram.

Those were both improvements from 2024 when LSU gave up 364.4 yards and 24.3 points per game in Baker’s first season as defensive coordinator.

There is a priority for LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin: Retain linebacker Whit Weeks.

During an interview on Saturday night in Houston during LSU's Texas Bowl clash against Houston, Kiffin revealed the importance of keeping Weeks while speaking with LSU radio.

LSU keeping defensive coordinator Blake Baker will give them an advantage in their pursuit as Weeks mulls over 2026 NFL Draft conversations and a return to LSU.

"I think our trust in Coach Baker, our buy-in to what he's teaching us and what he's preaching to us. He brings energy every single day, so it's hard not to bring energy when the boss man is bringing it," Weeks said this season of what Baker provides the Tigers.

The All-SEC linebacker shined across his sophomore campaign in 2024 after compiling 125 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks amid his breakout season in Baton Rouge.

Lane Kiffin on @LSUradio: "Big emphasis on keeping Whit Weeks. That’s a big priority for us."
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) December 28, 2025

But Weeks' junior campaign saw a decline in production after suffering an ankle injury midway through the year where he was sidelined for a majority of his third year with the program.

Now, after playing in just eight games in 2025, Weeks is preparing to make a decision on his future. Will he return for the 2026 season at LSU or declare for the 2026 NFL Draft?

"I wish I knew, I really do wish I knew. I'm trying to figure that out right now," Weeks said. "We've had those conversations already so now I'm taking all the outside factors out of it and really making the decision for myself because I have to.

"Some people telling me to leave, some people telling me to stay but at the end of the day, it's what's the best decision for Whit?"

It's clear Kiffin is making his push to keep Weeks in the purple and gold for the 2026 season where it's emerged as a priority in Baton Rouge.

More LSU News:

LSU Football Wide Receiver, Oklahoma Transfer Labeled 'Biggest Bust' in Portal

Lane Kiffin Pulls Off Historic Recruiting Feat Amid First Month With LSU Football

Lane Kiffin Reveals How Nick Saban, Pete Carroll Influenced Decision to LSU Football

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.