When LSU lost Whit Weeks for several weeks with a broken leg against Texas A&M on Sept. 26, the Tigers didn’t just lose a captain and one of their best defenders. They also lost the player wearing the green dot, the helmet connection that lets a linebacker hear the sideline and coaches’ box and keep the defense lined up.
That responsibility has now shifted to TJ Dottery, and LSU hasn’t seen any dip.
Dottery already knew the job from his time at Ole Miss in 2025, when he wore the green dot while playing for head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Even with that added communication duty, he still put together a huge season, leading the Southeastern Conference with 98 tackles while adding 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
He has carried that form straight into LSU. Dottery leads the Tigers this season with 30 tackles and has also recorded four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He had four tackles in LSU’s 63-14 win over McNeese State last week, though he played limited snaps because Kiffin pulled the starters early.
Now Dottery is expected to wear the green dot again when No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) visits No. 25 Kentucky (4-1, 2-1 SEC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
The switch could have been more complicated under Golding, whose system at Ole Miss packed in a lot of information.
“Pete is a great coach,” Kiffin said. “He has a lot of information in his system, so he is amazing.
He gave so much information to TJ. At times, it was great because TJ could tell everybody else what to do.
But at the same time, it’s hard to play fast when you get that. So coming here, he said he thought that it helped not getting so much information and being able just to play faster.”
Dottery said LSU’s setup has made the transition smoother. Baker’s defense is simpler, and Baker’s background as a linebacker - along with the fact that he still coaches that position - has made a difference.
“Blake’s knowledge for the game and his knowledge for the position as well, since I play linebacker - it’s been awesome,” Dottery said.
He also pointed to the players around him as part of why the green dot hasn’t slowed him down.
“It’s been good having it back again,” he said. “I don’t feel like it has slowed md down at all, honestly, especially in this defense, and the guys who I have around me who know their assignments.”
LSU has another linebacker helping fill the void left by Weeks in Davhon Keys, who already had experience stepping in for him. Keys finished second in the SEC with 92 tackles last year and started five games in place of an injured Weeks in 2025.
“His instincts of the game and knowledge of the pre-snap recognition of formations and knowing what’s coming and his communication is awesome,” Dottery said.
Senior Ty Benefield, a Boise State transfer, has also been part of the support system. Benefield shifted from safety to the star position after Dashawn Spears’ injury at Ole Miss, and Dottery praised what he brings.
“Ty, man, is one heck of an athlete, who can fly around,” Dottery said. “So, just getting him going is awesome.”
Kiffin said he hasn’t seen the green dot affect Dottery’s play.
“It seemed to work fine,” he said. “We didn’t discuss it after the (McNeese) game because it seemed like there were no problems with it. That’s not necessarily a permanent thing with TJ.”
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