Tennessee’s defense is about to take the field against LSU without its biggest edge threat.
Volunteers defensive end Tyree Weathersby will miss the rest of the season after suffering a left knee injury in Saturday’s 34-6 win over Kentucky, according to multiple reports. The senior, who has been Tennessee’s sack leader, was hurt in the third quarter while chasing Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey in the backfield. He never returned and left Neyland Stadium on crutches.
Weathersby’s absence lands hard because he has been central to what Tennessee does up front. He is tied for third in the SEC with seven sacks, and he also has 20 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss, which is third on the team. At 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, he has been a major part of the Volunteers’ pass rush, and Pro Football Focus lists him second on the team with 24 quarterback pressures.
That front has carried Tennessee all season. The Volunteers enter the LSU game with the SEC’s second-ranked scoring defense at 15.11 points allowed per game, lead the conference with 39 sacks and allow the second-fewest passing yards per game at 172.11. Against Kentucky, the defense added four more sacks, forced two fumbles and came up with an interception.
Now Tennessee will have to keep that pressure coming without Weathersby. Junior Xavier Gilliam is next in line on the edge with six sacks, while sophomore Maryon Dye and senior Jordan Norman are expected to see bigger roles. Dye has five sacks, and Norman has 2.5.
LSU, meanwhile, has done a decent job of avoiding negative plays in the backfield. The Tigers have allowed just 17 sacks, the fifth-fewest in the SEC, with Sam Leavitt’s ability to escape and run helping keep that number down. But the challenge only gets tougher from here, with LSU set to face two dynamic pass rushes in Texas and Tennessee over the next two weeks.
The Tigers may also be dealing with a question at tackle. Starting right tackle Weston Davis left the loss to Alabama on crutches in the third quarter, and his status remains unknown after what appears to be an ankle injury. LSU now heads into a stretch that could define the rest of its season, with two top-15 opponents in back-to-back weeks.
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For LSU, though, the focus is squarely on the matchup at home and the broader stage it sits on. The full schedule is spread across multiple networks and streaming platforms, so this is one of those Saturdays when timing matters as much as the games themselves. By the time the night settles in, the Tigers could find themselves part of the weekends biggest talking point. [Read more 🡒]