Brian Kelly Learns Major Injury News From LSU Camp After Receiving Strong Message From Ed Orgeron

Brian Kelly might be smiling on the outside, but deep down? Man’s sweating bullets in Baton Rouge. It’s Year 4, and the championship parade he sold to LSU boosters back in 2022 still hasn’t touched down on Bourbon Street. Three years—that’s what Ed Orgeron said it should take. That’s all Saban needed. Les Miles did it too. But Brian Kelly? He’s already missed the deadline after striking out on the playoffs three years straight. And now, heading into a monstrous opener vs. Clemson, Kelly just got a mix of good and bad news straight out of the LSU camp. Oh, and Coach O? He picked the perfect time to come back swinging.

Let’s get this out of the way first—the injury buzz coming out of LSU’s camp is real, and it’s loud. On May 21st, Matt Moscona, host of the ‘After Further Review‘ podcast, dropped the tea with audio receipts from defensive coordinator Blake Baker. And let’s just say Tiger fans can exhale a bit when it comes to their All-SEC linebacker, Whit Weeks.

“[Whit Weeks] is doing really well. I mean, he talked about yesterday; he was at full speed doing football drills. And more than anything, it’s just the fatigue standpoint — as far as the next day, you know, getting over that soreness just from using all those muscles and ligaments again.” Baker said. “He’s dang near 100%.” Weeks, who had 125 tackles last year—yeah, that’s more than Devin White’s (123 tackles) Butkus Award-winning season—looks locked and loaded for 2025. It’s a much-needed boost for a defense that got cooked like a Thanksgiving turkey last year.

Then there’s Harold Perkins. Baker didn’t hesitate: “You gotta start with having Harold Perkins back. He’s just a natural leader for us. He brings a lot of energy.” That’s the type of tone LSU fans needed to hear. Perkins barely played last season due to injury and being out of position, but now he’s back at STAR—his natural spot—ready to terrorize opposing QBs.

Baker Blake also gave props to Whit Weeks’s little bro, Wes Weeks. “Yeah, Wes was a guy — even going after last spring, two springs ago — I sat him down and viewed him as a starter. And he was honestly competing with Greg Penn for that starting role. Unfortunately, he did get banged up — but it ended up working out in our favor, as far as being able to redshirt him and having him back. But he had an outstanding spring. You could tell early on in spring, just kind of even in bowl prep, knocking some of the rust off — but he’s back to where he was pre-injury last year.”

Look, heading into the 2025 season, LSU’s defense is looking stacked thanks to some big-time transfer portal grabs and key players making their return. Up front, newcomers like Dominic McKinley and Ahmad Breaux are already turning heads, and DB PJ Woodland is making noise too. West Weeks returns after a redshirt year, and young guns like Devon Keys and Deshawn Spears have been balling out all spring. With guys like Gabe Reliford bringing depth, Blake Baker’s squad is deeper, nastier, and ready to bring the heat. And suddenly, LSU’s defense isn’t looking so shaky.

Coach O drops a tough message for Brian Kelly and LSU ahead of the 2025 season.

While LSU fans are cautiously optimistic about their retooled defense, one man isn’t sugarcoating anything—Ed Orgeron. LSU’s last title-winning coach isn’t sitting quietly in some beach house. Nah, Coach O just fired off a warning shot that landed squarely at Brian Kelly’s feet. Back in 2022, shortly after Kelly took the reins, Orgeron told folks straight up, “You should be able to win a national championship in 3 years.” Not four. Not five. Three. That’s all it took for O. That’s all it took for Saban. Now in Year 4, Coach O’s back to remind folks: time’s up.

“It’s the highway or no way,” Orgeron told Jax Sports Radio. And he isn’t wrong. LSU has the tools. The excuses? They ran out with the 2024 calendar. Garrett Nussmeier is QB1, and he has cannons for arms. LSU’s offense, boosted by transfer WRs Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), looks ready to light it up. The Tigers even patched up that shaky cornerback room with Mansoor Delane from Virginia Tech. All gas, no brakes.

So why is Orgeron pressing so hard? Because he knows LSU ain’t just about 9-win seasons. “Expectations at LSU are No. 1 or nothing!” he said. That isn’t just a flex—that’s the culture in Baton Rouge. They don’t hang banners for Texas Bowls. They want crystal footballs. Coach O’s resume speaks for itself. He took over after Les Miles got the boot mid-season in 2016, went full beast mode by 2019, and finished with a perfect 15-0 record. That LSU team? Arguably the best college football squad ever. He set the bar. Kelly was never expected to copy-paste 2019, but let’s be real—being 2-7 vs. ranked teams is far from what the Tigers wanted.

LSU didn’t throw $95 million at Brian Kelly to just build character. They bought him to win national championships. Right now, all they’ve got is highlight tapes and heartbreak. And if LSU fumbles the bag again in 2025, God forbid. Here’s the pressure cooker. Clemson’s up first. Arguably one of the most stacked teams in the nation. It’s not just a game—it’s a statement. Kelly wins that? He buys himself some grace. He loses? The vultures start circling.

“I think (Kelly) has a really good team, a really good quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier. He’s got a tough opener in Clemson. The expectations bring on a lot of pressure,” Orgeron added. Pressure makes diamonds—or it breaks ‘em. LSU’s roster isn’t lacking. The front seven’s been retooled, the secondary’s deeper, and Nussmeier has real weapons now. Blake Baker’s defense is starting to gel. Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins might be the most feared linebacker duo in the SEC if they stay healthy. That’s championship-caliber firepower.

But here’s the kicker—Kelly’s got to stop playing scared. Last season, the Tigers played like they were allergic to the moment. Soft on defense. Conservative on offense. That won’t fly this year. Not in the SEC. Not at LSU. This season? It’s a straight-up ultimatum. Win now, or bounce. Orgeron didn’t just call him out—he laid the blueprint. Year 4. Talent loaded to the teeth. Culture established. If Kelly can’t deliver, someone else will.

So yeah, Brian Kelly’s smiling in interviews. But behind the scenes? The man’s walking on eggshells. Baton Rouge doesn’t care about moral victories. They want confetti, they want rings, and they want it now.