Sam Leavitt is out. What to know about the QB situation and ASU football's bowl prospects

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AMES, Iowa — The Arizona State Sun Devils (5-3, 3-2) were just 24 hours from kicking off their game Saturday, Nov. 1, at Iowa State (5-3, 2-3) when head coach Kenny Dillingham delivered some devastating news. His sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, who last year helped propel ASU to a Big 12 title and berth in the College Football Playoff, is out for the season with a foot injury that will require surgery.

It was a dagger for a team that has dealt with numerous injuries, played a tough schedule and not quite lived up to its preseason billing.

It was a tough blow for Leavitt, who came into the season with Heisman Trophy hype and thoughts of entering the NFL draft. He'll have quite the decision to make.

Here is what we know right now:

Who is up next?

The starting quarterback will now be sixth-year senior Jeff Sims, who is in his second season in Tempe after spending three seasons at Georgia Tech and one at Nebraska. Sims is in his last season of eligibility and could have gone elsewhere after the 2024 campaign, knowing he would not start ahead of Leavitt, but chose to remain in Tempe because of Dillingham, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and the culture that has been established in the program.

He has started 26 games in his college career. Most teams don't have the luxury of a backup quarterback with extensive playing time over multiple seasons. In his two previous stops, he struggled with turnovers, although that has not been evident in his playing time at ASU.

Sims, an athletic 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pounder, has completed 24 of 49 pass attempts this season for 182 yards. He took over for Leavitt when he was sidelined for the Utah game and played last week against Houston when Leavitt was twice knocked from the contest. He had a 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chamon Metayer that rounded out the scoring in that game.

What if Sims gets hurt?

True freshman Cam Dyer was dubbed QB2 earlier this week by Dillingham. Dyer is a product of La Cueva High in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was the Gatorade state player of the year as a junior. He suffered a torn ACL in a playoff game at the end of his high school season and was just medically cleared for full participation in practice. He was a four-star prospect by all recruiting services and was a versatile athlete, also competing in basketball and track.

Red-shirt sophomore Christian Hunt, a 6-foot-6, 220-pounder out of Redondo Beach, California, had served as Sims' backup when Sims started at Utah on Oct. 11, but Hunt is now injured and unavailable.

What is the timetable for Leavitt's return?

That is hard to say because we don't know exactly what the injury is, other than it is foot-related. Dillingham said Leavitt is preparing for surgery, possibly as soon as next week. It's hard to see a timeline coming out until after that is done.

Leavitt is noted as a meticulous worker when it comes to the game, so he'll do everything in his power to get back on the field as soon as possible, to the point where those around him may have to hold him back for his own good.

What does the ASU schedule look like from here?

The schedule actually lightens up from here on out. The Sun Devils will have a much-needed bye after the game in Ames, Iowa.

Then it is West Virginia (2-6, 0-5) on Nov. 15 at Mountain America Stadium for the school's annual homecoming. The Sun Devils have sold out all five previous home games this season. The Mountaineers have lost five straight games and have used four different quarterbacks because of injuries.

ASU is at Colorado (3-5, 1-4) on Nov. 22. The Buffaloes have lost three of their past four games, and they, too, have had quarterback issues.

Then it's the annual Territorial Cup against rival Arizona on Friday, Nov. 28. The Wildcats, who play Colorado Nov. 1, have improved considerably but have had the benefit of a favorable schedule.

What are ASU's bowl chances?

The Sun Devils are just one win away from bowl eligibility. Technically, they still have a shot to make the Big 12 title game. They did that last season with two losses, but it seems like a stretch this season, given the number of teams with no losses or just one conference loss. They would have to win out and get a lot of help.

This is the last season in which the former Pac-12 teams are locked into bowl tie-ins. Which one ASU would go to will depend on what they do in the last four games. The options in order of importance: Alamo Bowl (vs. a Big 12 school), Holiday Bowl (vs. an ACC school), Sun Bowl (vs. an ACC opponent), LA Bowl (vs. a Mountain West foe) and Independence Bowl.

The Rose Bowl is now a CFP game and no longer a tie-in for the schools.

Who else is out long-term?

Players lost for the season are center Ben Coleman and linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu.

Safety Xavion Alford hasn't played since the second game of the season, and no mention has been made of his return. He, too, is likely lost for the season. He probably would have been a draft prospect, but he does have a year of eligibility left, so he wouldn't need a medical redshirt.

Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, running back Kyson Brown and defensive lineman Zac Swanson are other key players who will not play this week.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What does Sam Leavitt's injury mean for ASU football's bowl prospects

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