Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt settles on LSU

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The quarterback carousel keeps moving. Arizona State sophomore Sam Leavitt has landed at LSU after all, per ESPN's Pete Thamel and other reports, after flirting with Kentucky, Texas Tech, Tennessee and Miami.

Leavitt had visited Kentucky and the new coach, Will Stein. He was supposed to visit Texas Tech as well, but nixed that idea when that school came to terms with Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby, pegged by some as the top quarterback available.

LSU appeared to be one of Leavitt's top options all along, especially after Kentucky, perhaps impatient with him making a decision, opted to bring in Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey, who looked to be going to Nebraska, only to change course and settle on Kentucky.

He was then linked to LSU, only to schedule other trips after Washington's Demond Williams was rumored to be going there, only to reverse course and decide to stay there.

Leavitt then scheduled trips to Tennessee and Miami. LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who left Ole Miss before the postseason, even made a trip to Knoxville to meet with Leavitt a second time, while he was on his trip to Tennessee.

It's been that kind of transfer portal action at that position.

Leavitt, who came to ASU in 2024 after one season in which he barely played at Michigan State, jumped onto the national radar by helping the Sun Devils to an unexpected Big 12 championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2024. In his only full season of college football, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. That showing earned him Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors as well, and earned him Heisman Trophy buzz heading into the 2025 season. He had a knack for delivering game-winning drives.

But the 2025 season was disappointing to say the least. He originally sustained a foot injury in the Big 12 opener at Baylor on Sept. 20. He tried to play through that, but did not play in the game at Utah on Oct. 11, leaving quarterbacking duties to understudy Jeff Sims.

He returned the following week and led ASU to an upset of Texas Tech, but got knocked out of the next game against Houston on Nov. 25 and didn't play again.

He threw for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns, with three interceptions, with a foot injury limiting him to seven games on the season.

Leavitt seemed to distance himself from the team in recent weeks. He was around the facility right after having surgery, in early November, but did not show up to the team banquet at the end of the season, the only captain that wasn't there. He also was not around as the team prepared for the Sun Bowl showdown against Duke. Other players who were out with injuries or declared for the draft were present in El Paso to support their teammates.

The way Leavitt departed was somewhat reminiscent of that of Jayden Daniels, who played three seasons in Tempe, then spent two years at LSU, winning the Heisman Trophy in his last season there.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt settles on LSU

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