LSU's defense took a substantial hit this past weekend as Harold Perkins, their standout linebacker, suffered a season-ending knee injury. During the Tigers' triumph over UCLA, the 34-17 win was marred by Perkins' exit from the game following a right knee injury. CBS Sports first reported the severity of Perkins' injury, disclosing that the linebacker tore his ACL.
Perkins, a shining star in LSU's defensive lineup, was seen being assisted by the medical team mid-tackle in the second half of Saturday's game, an unfortunate incident for the No. 7 jersey recipient and a player projected as a first-round pick in the forthcoming NFL draft. Following the game, LSU head coach Brian Kelly confirmed that the injury was to Perkins' knee and that subsequent tests would verify the extent of the damage, according to WWLTV.
Despite managing to walk off the field on his power after the injury, the severity was quickly confirmed, robbing the Tigers of their defensive prowess for the season's remainder. The impact of Perkins' absence is not lost on the team; the linebacker had accumulated 162 tackles and 13 sacks in his career prior to the injury. "We can still stay in our buffalo package," Coach Kelly had noted, as reported by The Advocate. "We can go back into our dime package, drop Major (Burns) down. So, we've got a lot of options there."
Given Perkins' critical role in the Tigers' initial 3-1 start, tallying 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, the team will now lean on Greg Penn III and Whit Weeks to fill the void left by their injured comrade. The return of linebacker West Weeks from injury comes as somewhat of good news amidst the roster shakeup. According to On3, both Penn and the younger Weeks have seen starts in the season's first four games, and their experience will be pivotal as LSU recalibrates its defense in light of Perkins' absence.
Looking ahead, LSU is challenged with readjusting their strategies and expectations. Losing Perkins adds him to the list of significant players out for the season, a setback that includes senior running back John Emery and senior defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory.
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