Whit Weeks on playing Clemson in Week 1: 'You want to go get into a fist fight'

The blockbuster beginning to the 2025 college football season inches closer and closer by the day.

One of those mega matchups, Clemson vs. LSU, will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on August 30 at Memorial Stadium. LSU linebacker Whit Weeks revealed how excited he is for that game at this week’s SEC Media Days event.

“It’s exciting,” Weeks said. “I want to play the best teams every week because those are the fun games to play in. Prime time TV — 7:30 ABC — those are the games that you live for. That’s why you play football, to play in environments like that and against teams like that. My motto is in order to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.”

“So, we’re going to go out there week one against Clemson and that’s what you want. You want to go play a good team. You don’t want to lollygag into the season, you want to go get into a fist fight the first week.”

Heading into this season, the Tigers have lost five consecutive season openers dating back to the 2020 season.

2020: 44-34 L vs. Mississippi State
2021: 38-27 L @ UCLA
2022: 24-23 L vs Florida State (Louisiana Kickoff)
2023: 45-24 L vs No. 8 Florida State (Camping World Kickoff)
2024: 27-20 L vs No. 23 USC (Vegas Kickoff Classic)

The junior linebacker touched on this losing streak as well.

“We know what our past records have been in home games and everyday we go into work to change that narrative,” Weeks said. “Everybody in the whole building knows what the goals are for the whole season and Clemson‘s just the first team we have to beat to achieve those goals.”

Weeks gives injury/recovery update

Weeks, who recorded recording 120 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception last season, suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia in LSU‘s 44-31 win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl.

“It was a long road to get back but I’m feeling better than I ever have,” Weeks revealed. “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.”

If he is indeed ready to go at the beginning of the 2025 season, he immediately becomes of the most important players in the entire Southeastern Conference. He terrorized teams last season, recording at least 10 tackles in a game on four different occasions. His most dominant performance came in LSU‘s 29-26 OT win over Ole Miss on October 12, where he recorded 18 tackles (10 solo, eight assists), one sack and one forced fumble.

He also discussed getting one more season alongside brother West Weeks, who is also a linebacker at LSU. In his three years in Baton Rouge, he’s recorded 60 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Whit and West’s younger brother, Zach, will also be a freshman at LSU this season.

“It’s so special,” Whit said. “I thank God everyday that He allowed us the ability to play college football together and be at LSU together. And really I just cherish every moment I get to spend with him because at the end of this year, West will be gone and Zach will be a sophomore next year. I can’t even believe he’s at LSU right now. But I’m so thankful for the opportunity to get to play with them.”