LSU and Auburn are both headed into Saturday’s matchup without one of their top linebackers, leaving each defense with a noticeable hole in the middle.
For LSU, the absence comes from injury. Whit Weeks suffered a fractured right leg against Texas A&M, and while there is no return timetable, he is expected to sit out against Auburn. The Tigers have already dealt with a rough run of injuries this season, and Weeks is one of the biggest losses.
Auburn’s situation is different, but the result is the same: Xaiver Atkins will not be on the field. Atkins was suspended the week before Auburn played Georgia, missing that upset of the No. 1-ranked SEC matchup, and on Monday he was dismissed from the team, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported. Atkins addressed the move on X, saying that he has full respect for the program and plans to enter the transfer portal at the appropriate time.
Auburn head coach Alex Golesh did not reveal why Atkins was first suspended and then dismissed, saying the issues would be handled "in-house."
Atkins spent two seasons with Auburn after beginning his college career at LSU. Last season, he was a force for the orange and blue Tigers, finishing with nine sacks and 84 total tackles. Before the suspension, he was tracking toward another strong year with three sacks and 37 total tackles near the midpoint of the season.
The loss leaves Auburn thinner at linebacker, but LSU is dealing with the same problem on its own side. With Atkins and Weeks both expected to miss Saturday’s game, the position becomes a shaky spot for both defenses, and backup players will have to absorb a lot more responsibility.
There’s also a personal wrinkle to the absence. Atkins and Weeks were supposed to share the field again after building a relationship during their time together at LSU. In 2024, Atkins arrived in Baton Rouge as a freshman, and Weeks helped bring him along, often praising his athletic ability and the way he carried himself on defense.
What could have been a reunion in the middle of a high-profile SEC game will now be missing one of its key figures. Atkins’ dismissal strips Auburn of a major defensive piece and removes the chance for the former teammates to face each other in that setting.
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