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Whit Weeks injury update after LSU football star LB exits Texas Bowl on cart
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- Whit Weeks injury update after LSU football star LB exits Texas Bowl on cart
HOUSTON — LSU football standout sophomore Whit Weeks suffered a dislocated ankle during the Texas Bowl against Baylor, head coach Brian Kelly told media members following his team's 44-31 victory Tuesday night.
Late in the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run from Baylor 's Dawson Pendergrass with just 1:41 left in the first half, Weeks ended up on the bottom of the pile and with his right leg folded under him.
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LSU was leading Baylor 28-13 when Weeks suffered the injury inside NRG Stadium.
"Early indication is dislocation of the ankle, probably will have surgery here quickly," Kelly said. "I don't want to give an exact timeline but we should have him ready to go sometime around spring ball. We feel for him. He's a tough kid that will handle this the right way but we'll act quickly on it. His family was with him.
"I think our team responded appropriately because he's such an important part of what we do."
When Weeks went down, LSU 's medical staff came to his aide and placed an air cast on his lower right leg as he was drove through the tunnel.
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Once Whit was helped onto the back of the medical cart, the entire LSU football team ran out to check on him and offer support as fans on both sides gave him a standing ovation. Weeks shook hands and told his teammates to "go win it" as he was being readied to exit the field of play.
His older brother West Weeks , who has playing alongside his younger brother at linebacker for the Texas Bowl, was visibly shaken up when Whit was down with the injury.
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"It's not easy seeing your brother like that. I care about him a lot," West Weeks said of his younger brother. "Me and him, we do everything together. I'm with him 24/7, we're roommates and I love him to death. To see the team rally around him means a lot to me. It shows what kind of leader he is to this team."
Kelly said he told the team in the locker room at halftime the severity of Weeks' injury and that he would be OK as he didn't want his players wondering about the linebacker's welfare.
Weeks has been one of the breakout stars for the LSU defense this season. He started the season serving as star linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.'s backup but took over the role when Perkins suffered a season-ending ACL injury earlier in the year against UCLA.
Weeks went on to lead the team in tackles with 114 coming into the Texas Bowl and had six stops before hurting his ankle.
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Finishing out the rest of the game was no easy feat for West Weeks for a bevy of reasons. He slid over to his brother's position, one he doesn't practice very often. But he was motivated to do well and had seven tackles against Baylor which was tied for best on the team with safety Jardin Gilbert.
"It was pretty tough for me. Being out there with him is so much fun, especially when we're right beside each other," West Weeks said. "I had to step into his position at Will, which I get a little bit of practice at Will, but I honestly I was out there playing for him.
"I'm glad I was able to do it for him."
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Whit Weeks' injury: Latest on LSU football LB after Texas Bowl
