SEC Media Days is now in the books in Tampa Bay, which means football season is getting closer and closer.
Viewed as the unofficial kickoff to the season, the LSU Tigers were represented by head coach Lane Kiffin, tight end TreyDez Green, and linebackers Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery.
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Each player had their opportunity to speak to the media and answer questions. Here’s what they had to say (Quotes courtesy of ASAP Transcripts)
Whit Weeks
Q: You had the opportunity to make LSU history and play with both of your brothers. What did that mean to you, and how are you planning on continuing that legacy this year with your younger brother?
WHIT WEEKS: “It meant everything to me. That was such a special moment for me and my family when me and my two brothers were able to get out there on the field last year. That’s a moment that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. And being the middle brother, West was always kind of the guy who I would look up to and see what he was doing, and I do the exact same thing. And now I’m in that role for Zach. So I realize that everything I do, he’s going to be watching. I want him to be the best one out of all three of us. So I try to set a good example for him.”
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Q. There’s been a lot of talk on the outside about what success looks like for this program next season. What would you say the inside of that is? What do you guys think success looks like for you?
WHIT WEEKS: “Defensively, I want to bring back that nasty mentality to an LSU defense. I think we’ve lacked that in my first three years here. I truly do. I take that personally on myself. I want to bring back that nasty defense.”
“When teams turn on the tape, they’re like, holy cow, we’ve got to go play these dudes on Saturday. They know they’re in for one when they’re coming down to Baton Rouge. So that’s ultimately one of my goals is to bring back that nasty mentality to an LSU defense.”
TJ Dottery
Q. Obviously as a transfer in, Blake Baker is the defensive coordinator. Obviously has a big hand with the linebackers. What’s been your impression of Blake and your relationship with him so far?
TJ DOTTERY: “It’s been awesome. Coach Baker is amazing. His intelligence for the game is phenomenal. The type of person he is even better. I can talk to him about anything. His energy he brings, him even wearing cleats to practice is awesome. When we make a play he’s almost on the field with us.”
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“The first time I actually made a play, he jumped on me and kind of scared me. Like, just that energy, I love it. I love it.”
Q. You were kind of known in Oxford for your personality a little bit and just your positivity and the energy that you bring into the locker room. What was that transition like for you to the LSU locker room? And how have you kind of stayed true to yourself and stayed true to your positivity and your encouragement?
TJ DOTTERY: The transition has been great, honestly. And that can attest to the type of people we have on the team from even the returners, like the Whit Weeks and Bo Bordelon, guys that know what it’s like to be at LSU and have been here for a while.
And them embracing me and just telling me to just continue to be myself. I feel like that’s made it the easiest, me just being able to be myself and be the guy I am, and they like me for that.
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TREY’DEZ GREEN
Q. What can you tell us about this year’s offensive line and just your confidence around them and with them in front of you guys?
TREY’DEZ GREEN: “The offensive line, them my guys, man. They’re some hard workers. The offensive line is going to be exciting to see. Everybody just wants it. They want it even — all of them, all of them, they just want it.
We do indy, I do the tackle, they do the tackle and tight end combinations. They be teaching me little techniques I can use in the run game. I’m being a sponge and soaking up everything that I can learn from those guys.”
Q. I know you play tight end, but you can also fill in that slot in that receiver position. And you’re one of the veterans coming back on offense this year. How are you building chemistry with all the newcomers that transferred in, like Sam Leavitt, Tre Wilson, Jayce Brown, they’re all coming from other schools, and you’re kind of showing them the ropes at LSU?
TREY’DEZ GREEN: “Funny story. When everybody first transferred, I’m like, how are we going to gel? How is this going to look? Because I’ve never been part of a team with so many transfers before.”
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“As soon as we met with each other, we just clicked, and it’s just been a brotherhood ever since. Like I say, that’s the game of football, just connect us so much, just our love for the game and how we go about our day-to-day lives and the sacrifices that we make to be a part of the LSU program is just amazing. It just brings us even more closer together.”
The 2026 season for the Bayou Bengals gets underway on September 5 at home against Clemson.
