Davhon Keys Ready To Step Up For Whit Weeks: ‘I Have To Start Bringing The Juice’

LSU linebacker Davhon Keys knows his role is about to get much bigger.

With starting linebacker Whit Weeks sidelined for an extended period after suffering a foot injury against Texas A&M, Keys will step into the starting lineup alongside TJ Dottery. Weeks underwent a procedure Monday, and Lane Kiffin said he expects the veteran linebacker to be out “a while.”

Keys already got his first taste of that expanded role Saturday night when Weeks went down during LSU's 35-6 win over the Aggies.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Keys said his first reaction was disappointment for his teammate before quickly realizing he had a job to do.

“The first thing is you’re devastated for him because you never like to see anyone get hurt,” Keys said. “But then you know you’ve got to flip that mindset. You’ve got to go in and play for him.

“He put his body on the line, so you’ve got to go put your body on the line, too. You’ve got to show him that you’re willing to ride for him.”

Keys made an immediate impact after entering the game, coming up with a big stop on fourth-and-1. Kiffin praised Keys for the play Monday and said LSU will need him to continue playing at a high level with Weeks out.

“That was definitely an impactful play, but we’ve been running that play in practice, and it was second nature,” Keys said. “Coach Baker always puts us in the right spot, and as long as you trust your coach and trust what you’re supposed to do, you’re going to make plays.”

Replacing Weeks, however, will require more than making tackles.

Kiffin has talked about the energy and mentality Weeks brings to LSU's defense, and Keys acknowledged Tuesday that he now needs to help fill that void as well.

“Whit’s a very high-energy guy, so I need to start bringing that energy,” Keys said. “The juice has to come from the linebackers, and stepping up for Whit, I have to start bringing the juice.

“I have to start getting guys going. If we’re slacking a little bit, I have to be the one to make the corrections and speak up.”

Keys isn't inexperienced in this situation. He led LSU with 92 tackles last season and started four of the Tigers' final seven games while filling in for an injured Weeks.

That experience should help as LSU moves forward without one of the leaders of its defense.

Keys said one of his biggest focuses this offseason was trusting his instincts and eliminating hesitation from his game.

“As a linebacker, instincts are the majority of the position, and if you’re second-guessing or you’re hesitant, you’re not going to be a very good linebacker,” Keys said. “So really, it’s just been building that confidence, trusting what I’m seeing, and I feel like I’ve been doing a pretty good job of that.”

Now, with Weeks sidelined, Keys will have an opportunity to put that confidence to work in a much larger role.