Turning point: Interception was a setback for Arkansas football

FAYETTEVILLE – LSU linebacker Whit Weeks, whose teammates are nicknamed “Sunshine” because of his long blonde hair, helped turn out the lights on an Arkansas comeback attempt Saturday night.

The no.

Arkansas was first-and-10 on its 14th after an LSU punt before Weeks stepped in and jumped up.

Weeks, 6-2 and 228 pounds, jumped high into the air and intercepted a pass from quarterback Taylen Green.

The ball came back to Green, who tried to knock it down, but instead it also tipped over and it stayed in the air long enough for Weeks to intercept it.

“A catastrophic turnover,” ESPN spokesman Mark Jones called it.

“I saw them blitzing and I know we had an RPO (run-pass option) and I tried to throw in,” Green said. “But I have to take better care of football.

“That just means giving them the ball, especially when we have our backs like that.”

Weeks rushed from the rim, intercepted the ball at the Arkansas 5 and returned it to the 3.

For Weeks, a sophomore from Watkinsville, Georgia, it was the first interception of his career in 18 games at LSU.

Tigers safety Major Burns was also on the play when Weeks hit the ball.

“I looked around for (the ball) and didn’t see it,” Weeks said. “I saw Major fiddling with it, so I just grabbed it.

“I tried to get into the end zone but I stumbled.”

LSU wasted no time getting into the end zone after the takeaway.

Caden Durham scored a 2-yard touchdown run on the next play, then quarterback Garrett Nussmeier passed to Trey'Dez Green for a 2-point conversion.

“Whit Weeks’ deflection and interception seemed to be the crux of the game,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Great win.”

Within 6 seconds, the ball changed hands and the Tigers' lead grew from 16-10 to 24-10 with 4:58 left in the third quarter.

Arkansas had pulled within 16-10 on Matthew Shipley's 51-yard field goal to cap its first possession of the third quarter, and after a stop appeared to have the momentum to even start a drive within its 15 yards .

“We had the ball 16-10 (down), everything was going the way we thought it would and told the kids at halftime,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “'We get the ball, we make it a one-score game, whether it's a field goal or a touchdown.' “We get the ball back, take the lead and put the pressure back on.”

“It kind of worked out that way, but we missed an outside rusher that we should have blocked, then we threw the ball, got tipped up, and on top of that, they had the 2-point conversion.”

“We fell behind by 14 and it seemed like we couldn't recover.”

Weeks could be in the running for back-to-back SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

After posting a career-best performance of 18 tackles and a forced fumble in LSU's 29-26 overtime win over Ole Miss last Saturday, Weeks was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week by the conference office.

Weeks had a team-high 9 tackles as well as 1 sack, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup against the Razorbacks.

“It's definitely a credit to him,” Green said of Weeks' interception of the deflected pass. “He has a strong motor and is really quick and quick and all over the field.”

Green, who completed 21 of 31 passes for 239 yards and 1 touchdown, said he couldn't elaborate on the interception.

“When it goes like that, you just put it on the bench and learn from it,” Green said. “You just learn from that situation and apply it to the next time.”