Sam Leavitt has informed head coach Kenny Dillingham he intends to enter the transfer portal after two seasons as Arizona State’s starting quarterback, per ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti.
The signs of a potential departure date back to Nov. 18, when it was reported Leavitt’s camp was shopping his services to other teams 3.5 weeks after he was ruled out for the season with a foot injury.
It became clear the sides were heading for a split when ASU coach Kenny Dillingham reportedly wished him well at the team’s end-of-year banquet, which Leavitt was absent for.
Dillingham continued to send his well wishes to Leavitt in a post on X Tuesday, calling him a smart (and) talented player, who is going to succeed wherever he goes.
His two seasons as the starter left him top-15 in program history in passing yards (15th, 4,513) and touchdowns (13th, 34), with each quarterback in front of him playing three or more seasons.
The 2025 campaign didn’t go as planned with injuries that kept him out of about 5.5 games as a big catalyst.
He threw for a career-high 319 yards and led a game-winning drive over eventual Big 12 champion Texas Tech, giving the Red Raiders their only loss of the season. Leavitt exited the ensuing Houston game twice and would not return this season.
He broke out in 2024 after returning from a rib injury, averaging 269 total yards with 17 total touchdowns and two interceptions over the last seven games of the season. He and Cam Skattebo led ASU to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance.
Jordyn Tyson also led the nation in receiving over that stretch before an injury kept him out of the postseason, becoming one of college football’s most formidable wideouts thanks to his connection with Leavitt.
The signal caller initially won the starting job in August 2024, about nine months after he transferred from Michigan State where he redshirted as a true freshman.
Leavitt must wait until at least Jan. 2 to officially enter the portal for the second time in his career.
Jeff Sims, who filled in for six starts over the past two seasons, is out of eligibility. That leaves Cam Dyer and Michael “Butter” Tollefson, who will be redshirt freshmen, and 2026 four-star signee Jake Fette as the only quarterbacks on the roster.
Expect ASU to seek out one or two quarterbacks in the portal to inject experience into the room.
