Kelly updates status of Weeks, Perkins, Van Buren

By Hunt Palmer

As game week finally approaches, Brian Kelly updated the status of some players who missed practice time over the weekend.

Junior linebacker Whit Weeks did not practice Friday or Monday when the media was given access. Kelly suggested the rest was “load management” as the All-SEC selection returns from a gruesome leg injury in the Texas Bowl that cost him the spring.

Weeks has been present at the workouts but has not participated.

Harold Perkins, the other standout for LSU at the position, missed practice altogether on Monday.

“He had a personal day,” Kelly said. “He had some things he had to take care of, but he was back out there (Tuesday).”

The lone injury note from Monday’s practice was reserve quarterback Michael Van Buren who was seen with a wrap on his throwing hand.

“He got the index finger jammed on his right hand,” Kelly said. “He’ll be throwing (Wednesday). We had an X-ray, MRI. No damage. He was just sore, so we shut him down. He’ll be back. He did some light throwing. He’ll do a throwing program in the afternoon (Tuesday), and then we’ll have him back out tomorrow.”

Redshirt freshman Colin Hurley took the second team reps at quarterback on Monday.

LSU has emphasized rest and recovery over more on-field time all month long. Practices have not topped the two-hour mark, and many workouts have begun indoors out of the heat and humidity.

Kelly’s squad appears fresh and relatively healthy with 11 days to go before kickoff.