LSU linebacker Whit Weeks earned a targeting penalty and subsequent ejection during the game against Florida. Targeting, as the NCAA defines it, can become a nebulous, confusing scenario.
Officials’ use of film slowed to a snail’s crawl becomes the evidence needed in determining whether a player will leave the field and not return. With so much on the line, the call can almost mean the difference between winning and losing, depending on the player’s talent level and schematic importance.
What is Weeks’ status going forward?
Will LSU LB Whit Weeks Return Against SLU?
In a tense game with possible College Football Playoff implications, Weeks, known as the heart and soul of the LSU defense, was called for targeting against Florida freshman Vernell Brown III in the first quarter. The video shows the junior leading with his helmet. Not only is the penalty a first down, but it is also an automatic ejection. However, Weeks will be eligible to return next week against Southeastern Louisiana. PFSN writer Max Dorsey explains the issue.
“The most common call happens when a player leads with the ‘crown,’ or top, of their helmet to hit an opposing player. When targeting is called, it is automatically reviewed, and if the call is upheld, the player is ejected.”
“This is the part that frustrates fans the most. Reviews are wildly inconsistent, with calls rarely looking the same from game to game. It often feels completely up to the eye of the individual referee rather than a rule written in stone, which is why it’s so controversial.”
The junior tallied seven stops in two games before Saturday night’s tilt in Death Valley. Last season, Weeks led the Southeastern Conference with 61 solo tackles and 125 total stops. His ability to read the play and go with instincts puts him in prime positions to make tackles in bunches.
While he is not stellar in coverage, he gives the Bayou Bengals a versatile playmaker who can drop back in shallow coverage and stay relatively close to the receiver.
Weeks makes his presence known with his striking ability. Despite weighing around 225 pounds, the junior from Watkinsville, Georgia, overcomes his size limitations with heart and force. When he collapses on a target, you can see him attempting to run through the ball carrier. That aggressiveness cost him time in tonight’s game.
REVIEWING A potential targeting on #LSU defender Whit Weeks… pic.twitter.com/VUxnsHQSyD
— Lonn Phillips Sullivan (@LonnPhillips) September 13, 2025
Weeks should line up against FCS opponent Southeastern Louisiana Lions despite Saturday’s ejection in what is primed to be a money game.
