Whit Weeks, Bernard Gooden injury updates: Brian Kelly provides latest timeline on decision

LSU head coach Brian Kelly provided a detailed update on the current status of ailing Tigers defensive stars Whit Weeks and Bernard Gooden ahead of Saturday’s Top 20 showdown vs. No. 3 Texas A&M. Gooden, a senior defensive end, remains limited with a bruised collarbone suffered two weeks ago against South Carolina, while Weeks, a junior linebacker, remains in a walking boot with a bone bruise.

“Gooden practiced yesterday. He didn’t get involved in everything, but we wanted to bring him along slowly so he got some individual, got some team reps. The report this morning was he felt good,” Kelly said Wednesday morning during his appearance on the weekly SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Whit is still non-weightbearing. He’s in the boot, and we’ll keep the boot on him for another couple of days before we know what he can do. He’s been doing some additional treatments, and he’s feeling better, but we won’t know on him until later in the week.”

Gooden is being worked back into the fold slowly while recovering from the collarbone injury suffered against South Carolina, whick kept him out of last week’s game against Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-1, 270-pound Gooden has 13 total tackles, three for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks while starting five of six games this season.

Brian Kelly: Whit Weeks to remain in walking boot ‘for another couple of days’

Weeks also sat out Saturday, his first extended absense of the season, while rehabbing his foot injury. And, according to Kelly, Weeks will remain in a walking boot until later in the week, meaning his status vs. Texas A&M remains up in the air. The talented junior has 12 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in six games this season.

Weeks is no stranger to injury problems, as he suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia in LSU‘s 44-31 win over Baylor in the 2024 Texas Bowl. This effectively ended his season after he was carted off the field with an air cast on his right leg. Prior to the injury, he recorded six tackles in the game.

Weeks underwent surgery back in January to deal with the injury. Seven months later, he gave an update on his injury and recovery at SEC Media Days in August.

“It was a long road to get back, but I’m feeling better than I ever have,” Weeks said. “I credit that to the training staff and the strength coaches. They spent a lot of time on me this offseason getting my body right and getting my ankle healthy.”

— On3’s Daniel Hager contributed to this report.