LSU Football Star Linebacker Announces Return for 2026 Season Under Lane Kiffin

Kiffin and Co. retain the star defender amid 2026 NFL Draft buzz, heading back to Baton Rouge next fall.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks will return for his senior campaign in 2026 season, he revealed via social media on Thursday afternoon.

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.

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 has made the decision to bypass the 2026 NFL Draft and return to Baton Rouge for his final season with the program.

Once LSU retained defensive coordinator Blake Baker, it set the stage for the Bayou Bengals to keep Weeks with the two developing a strong relationship over the last two seasons.

News: #LSU linebacker Whit Weeks will return to Baton Rouge for the 2026 season.

The All-SEC defensive weapon battled the injury bug in 2025 following a breakout season as a sophomore in 2024.

Now, Lane Kiffin and Co. lock in the star linebacker for next fall.

Coming together. pic.twitter.com/ogYwN0nyBC

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 1, 2026

"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.

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.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

Now, the decision is in with Weeks set to be back in Baton Rouge for his final campaign with an opportunity to boost his draft stock moving forward.

"I'm excited. I think the biggest thing they were able to do is bring coach Baker back. That's huge for us playing defense. That's the biggest thing they've done all offseason. Now you have that foundation whereas if you do get rid of him, you're bringing in a whole new staff and you're starting from zero on offense and defense," Weeks said on the GetGordon podcast a few weeks ago. "He's so much fun to play for, he's such a good dude."

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