MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Two key starters on the LSU defense have been cleared for full offseason activity, coach Brian Kelly said here Tuesday during the Southeastern Conference spring meeting.
Senior linebacker Harold Perkins and junior linebacker Whit Weeks both missed spring practice — Perkins while recovering from a knee injury in September against UCLA and Weeks from a broken fibula in the Texas Bowl. But now they are in a “great position” to start doing work in advance of preseason practice, Kelly said.
“Conditioning, change of direction, they’re clear to do all of the movements that are required by our players,” Kelly said.
The coach added that Perkins and Weeks may transition a bit slower into football activities such as summer drills, but that he expects them to be full-go by the start of preseason practice.
Perkins required surgery after tearing his ACL against the Bruins on Sept. 21. Weeks needed surgery to repair his fibula and a dislocated ankle after being carted off the field Dec. 31 against Baylor.
Weeks led LSU and was second in the SEC with 125 total tackles.
Mulkey on Fulwiley
LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey described the process that led former South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley to transfer to the Tigers in April.
Mulkey said Fulwiley did not visit any schools, including LSU.
“She knew where she wanted to go when she got in the portal,” Mulkey said after emerging from a women’s basketball coaches meeting. “She just liked our style. She likes Mikaylah (Williams) and Flau’jae (Johnson) and wanted to come. I’m like, ‘OK.’ ”
Mulkey said she was not concerned about being able to spread the ball around enough in what will be one of the nation’s most talented backcourts.
“Great players want to play with other great players,” Mulkey said. “Shots and balls go around. I don’t worry about that.”
Mulkey said she and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley didn’t discuss Fulwiley’s transfer during the hours-long coaches meeting, which was chaired by Staley.
LSU has 13 players currently on its roster, including a total of three transfers. Asked whether the Tigers were done in the portal, Mulkey said: “Not necessarily.” She indicated LSU is still considering adding another post player.
Sark on Arch
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian was asked whether he will try to insulate starting quarterback Arch Manning from Newman in New Orleans from intense expectations entering the 2025 season.
Manning is widely rated as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, just ahead of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
“Part of the idea for Arch coming to the University of Texas is to build that brand, get that exposure,” Sarkisian said. “It’s not all negative.
“But at the end of the day, I want to make sure he enjoys his experience. Here’s a lifelong dream to be the starting quarterback at Texas. Part of that is exposure, part of that is putting up some guardrails.”
