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USC legend Matt Leinart ‘not ok’ after lookalike QB son Cole leaves for college

Dad got emotional as his 18-year-old star football player son left to carry on the Leinart name in college.
Matt Ryan|
Nov 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterback Matt Leinart before the game against the California Golden Bears at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Nov 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterback Matt Leinart before the game against the California Golden Bears at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It seems like just yesterday Matt Leinart was the quarterback for the USC Trojans winning a Heisman Trophy and two national championships. That was 2003-2005, and now it’s 2026 and his son just left for college to play QB himself. How time flies, and it made Leinart super emotional.

This reporter remembers covering Leinart and the Trojans during that time where they ruled Los Angeles as the only “pro” football team in the area.

Matt Leinar
Oct 9, 2004; Los Angeles, CA, USA, Leinart is a legend at USC. | Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images

Now another Leinart will be throwing passes in college as Cole Leinart out of Redondo Beach, California, is a promising recruit off to play for the SMU Mustangs.

RELATED: Ex-USC legend Matt Leinart had most epic Rihanna first-date fail

He also looks just like his dad both in body and on the field.

Now, the three-star recruit is enrolled early in college. While it’s not USC, Matt will now be cheering on the Mustangs.

RELATED: Ex-USC star Matt Leinart, wife's four-word baby news crushes (VIDEO)

After Cole left for Dallas, Texas, Matt had an emotional post talking about not being ok.:

“My son left for College yesterday. I’m on my way out there now. I am not ok. This is the hardest thing that I have ever done. There’s a million emotions running through my mind just hoping I did enough as a dad to prepare him. I think that’s just human. I already miss the daily stuff we take for granted, getting him up for school, hanging in our garage playing video games, making him breakfast, etc. Be there for your little ones, soak up every moment you have, never say no and enjoy because it goes way too fast!”

Leinart now has four kids

Cole is Leinart’s first child and his only one with ex-girlfriend Brynn Cameron, who was a basketball player at USC. They had him in 2006 shortly after the QB was drafted 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Brynn Camero
Nov 13, 2007; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Matt Leinart’s ex-girlfriend Brynn Cameron of Southern California (11). | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Leinart would marry Josie Loren in 2018 and they now have three children together including a baby girl, Camila, in February, 2025, to go with son Carson, January of 2020, and son Cannon, May of 2021.

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Matt Ryan
MATT RYAN

Matt Ryan is a dedicated sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in digital and linear media. After receiving a Masters in Journalism from USC, he’s worked for Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, USA Today Sports Media Group, and Bally Sports, while holding various leadership roles along the way.

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