College football coach addresses loss of $1.8 million QB to transfer portal

Arizona State finished 8-4 (6-3 Big 12) and will head to the Sun Bowl, marking another successful season under third-year head coach Kenny Dillingham.

Despite the winning record, the narrative has centered on last year’s unexpected Big 12 title run and 11-3 finish, along with this season’s offensive struggles, largely due to injuries such as Sam Leavitt’s season-ending foot injury.

Leavitt’s season ended after seven games and 1,628 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions, a sharp contrast to his 2024 breakout, when he earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year and All-Big 12 recognition with 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 443 rushing yards with five rushing scores.

Persistent chatter and Leavitt’s absence from team events sparked transfer speculation, and on Monday, reports confirmed he plans to enter the portal.

On Monday, coach Dillingham fielded media questions about Leavitt’s future at ASU but stopped short of making any formal announcement.

"I'm going to let that leave that to Sam's team, out of respect for him, for how they want to progress from that," Dillingham said. "I love Sam. Sam grew so much here, he really did, and I grew so much learning from Sam. Whatever his future holds, I wish him nothing but the best. I absolutely want to see him succeed."

"With that, I'm very, very confident that we're going to have a really, really good quarterback at Arizona State," Dillingham added.

Kenny Dillingham on Sam Leavitt's future status at ASU:

"I'm gonna leave that to Sam's team...I love Sam. Sam grew so much here....Whatever his future holds, I wish him nothing but the best...I'm very very confident that we're gonna have really really good QB at Arizona State." pic.twitter.com/rIh9wvQBq5
— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) December 8, 2025

On the roster, Arizona State is not without alternatives.

True freshman Cameron Dyer (four-star recruit) remains on the depth chart and has been cleared to play, while ASU’s 2026 class features Jake Fette, a four-star dual-threat signee who enrolled early.

Those internal options, along with the possibility of adding an experienced passer via the portal, give Dillingham multiple pathways to attempt to replace Leavitt’s production.

Leavitt is also one of the more marketable athletes in college football, with a reported NIL valuation of around $1.8 million.

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. — ASU Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) scrambles away from Houston Cougars defensive lineman Eddie Walls III (90) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After a poor 3-9 start to the program, Dillingham led Arizona State to an 11–3 season, a Big 12 title, and a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, earning coach-of-the-year recognition for that run.

However, while Dillingham’s work drew national attention a year ago, his challenge now is sustaining momentum, finding Leavitt’s replacement, managing NIL pressures, and guarding against recruiting reverberations from a marquee departure.

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