Oconee County brother trio gets ‘special opportunity’ with LSU football

In a household with three boys, battles broke out all the time.

David Weeks would walk outside and find one of his sons tied to a tree.

Everything — even running around the front yard — was an opportunity to compete.

So, one Christmas, when West, the oldest, was 7 and Whit, the middle brother, was 5, Santa decided to bring boxing gloves as a present.

“But Santa also brought dad a pair boxing gloves,” David, a former Georgia offensive lineman, said. “So the rule was whenever a fight broke out, they were going to put on the gloves and I’d let them duke it out to see who wins. And whoever wins, you got to fight dad.”

The Weeks boys aren’t throwing haymakers anymore (although Mario Kart sessions remain as competitive as ever). In high school, West and Whit became close, their age gap narrow enough to overlap playing at Oconee County and now at LSU.

To make this coming season extra unique, Zach, their youngest brother, joins West and Whit in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where the three tight-knit Weeks brothers all play for the same college program — and all three are linebackers.

“It’s funny looking back on it now,” David Weeks said. “I never would have guessed they would be as tight as they are. … They really love all being together, which is even cooler to me as a dad. Because it’s just all about the relationship, and take football out if it, but the fact that they’re all three there looking after each other is what’s so amazing to (their mom) Erin and me.”

West, Whit and Zach all playing together in college isn’t something the family ever pushed for or fathomed could happen, especially with the five-year age difference between West and Zach. But a couple of things made it possible.

First, West decided to redshirt after suffering an injury last season, giving him another season of eligibility. Second, Zach reclassified so he could get to campus a year early.

Getting injured definitely wasn’t in West’s plans, but it allowed for the Weeks brother reunion.

“I wanted to be out there and be playing, but obviously that wasn’t supposed to happen,” West said. “And I think at the end of the day, looking back on it, it really is God telling me that you’re going to get this special opportunity to play with both your brothers. And so at the end of the day I think it was definitely a blessing in disguise. … It all kind of just worked itself out.”

The brothers see each other all the time, with West and Whit living together and Zach coming over often — though he has to live in the dorms as a freshman.

Zach’s connection with his older brothers has helped the whole team bond, Whit said, since merging their friend groups means bringing together younger and older Tigers players.

“He’s such a fun guy and he really just brought his friend group in, so that’s kind of helped our whole team kind of mesh and come together because he’s friends with all the freshmen, so now all the freshmen will come over and hang out with us, too,” Whit said. “... He really came in here and made his own friend group. Like, he’s not following in my and West’s footsteps in everything. He’s really carving his own path and being his own person.”

For Zach, though, it’s been helpful having his big brothers around to help him adjust to the collegiate level. Zach has been playing at Mike, or middle linebacker, same as West, while Whit plays Will, or weakside linebacker.

“I’m really just enjoying every moment I can with them and it’s really special to, you know, kind of have them out there and help them guide me,” Zach said. “And it’s really like having two extra coaches because I come off the sideline I’m like ‘Hey, on this play, am I doing this, this, (or) this,’ and they’re always watching me, giving me just little tips and stuff.”

Growing up, all three played at different positions, and also played different sports, from lacrosse to baseball to basketball, before settling on linebacker and football.

“I had three sons that played college football, and one was a quarterback, one was a lineman and one was a wide receiver, so to have three play the same spot is really unique,” said Jefferson football coach Travis Noland, who previously coached West and Whit at Oconee County. “They’re all so long, and can run. I love to give David grief that they got all their speed from their mom, Erin, but they’re just a unique body type and very developed physically, you know? And so a lot of that’s genes because both mom and dad are very good athletes.”

The whole family is athletic, with their younger sister Kate, 12, playing both volleyball and basketball. Erin was a cheerleader and soccer player in high school, with David crediting her for their kids’ agility.

“I guess it’s just the family thing,” Zach said. “We’re a football family, and I think all of our personalities, we’re definitely linebackers. We love hitting, we love the defensive aspect of the game.”

Erin and David don’t miss an LSU game, and their sons have now made the logistics on them a little easier. It previously was a mad dash from Zach’s high school games on Friday nights to wherever the Tigers are playing on Saturday.