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LSU Tigers last 'Freak of the Week' this summer ahead of fall camp could make or break the 2025 college football season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Travis May | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 6:24 PM ET

The LSU Tigers coaching staff likes to award a "Freak of the Week" recognition to individual players who step up, go above and beyond, push hard, and stand out as a part of their offseason program.

This final week's freak ahead of the opening of fall camp shouldn't surprise LSU fans, but it does highlight just how important he could be in getting the Tigers where they need to go this season.

Harold Perkins wins final Freak of the Week and he'll need to live up to that

Harold Perkins, star linebacker and former Freshman All-American won "Freak of the Week" honors to finish off camp, and that's fitting since he's finally physically ready to bounce back in a big way for the LSU Tigers.

Perkins of course dominated as a true freshman with over a half dozen sacks and 70+ tackles, looking like a foundational future piece for LSU's defense. Then he posted a similar tackle tally as a sophomore, but was found out of place quite often as the Tigers experimented placing him in various roles around the front seven of the defense for LSU. And of course last season his potential bounce back year was cut short through less than four games due to injury.

The entire coaching staff knows just important Perkins could be this season as they push for the College Football Playoff, but it seems Perkins' is proving that he really wants it this offseason based on what LSU's Director of Athletic Development had to say on him (in relation to winning Freak of the Week):

"A lot of times you know that I love it when a guy lifts the heaviest, he runs the fastest. But the thing that puts you over the top is guys that lead...One guy in particular that I wanted to recognize has really come a tremendous way from where he was this offseason and where's going to get to, and where he's going to keep going–the 'Freak of the Week' is Harold Perkins."

He's come a long way this offseason. The final Freak of the Week this summer is @HP113k pic.twitter.com/FK35F0Qulh
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 23, 2025

Harold Perkins has been working hard to fully recover this offseason from his ACL tear that he suffered last September in LSU's game against UCLA. Now just days before fall camp kicks off he finally looks physically back to normal, full speed, ready to go.

If Perkins can look anything close to the best of what he flashed as a true freshman and sophomore this upcoming season LSU's defense should be in a great place. However, if the team doesn't properly utilize him then the Tigers' defense might struggle mightily.

When he was at his best he was bringing pressure on a quarter of his pass rush snaps, then dropping into coverage against the best seam and underneath offensive weapons in the country. Where LSU got in trouble with Perkins was forcing him into one particular role game to game instead of utilizing his versatility every single week–letting him run free to the ball.

Whit Weeks already emerged for LSU as the steady reliable force at linebacker last season. He can be the gap-disciplined stack linebacker that the Tigers need to fit against the run. If they unleash Perkins alongside him to just get after the ball and make plays, LSU could prove to have one of the best linebacker tandems in the nation.

Perkins will need to be that "freak" that LSU was missing any time they faced more mobile quarterbacks. Having an athlete like Perkins should help the team contain the best of the best from an athleticism standpoint. LSU fans just need to hope he stays healthy and the Tigers' defense allows him to be creative.

We'll be back with more College Football coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!

And if you want to look back on some of the best plays from Harold Perkins that suggest he could bounce back and help take the LSU Tigers to the College Football Playoff, just check out the video below.