Quarterback Sam Leavitt is no stranger to taking over as the starter on a new team, and his journey across the country has led him to Tempe, where he’s thriving as the leader of the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Football has taken Leavitt to five schools in six years, an adventure that has him thriving in the modern college football offense.
Sam Leavitt’s High School Travels Included 3 Schools, 2 States
Leavitt comes from a football family. His father played at BYU, and his brother played at Utah State and in the NFL. Leavitt’s time in football has also made him a well-traveled American.
Leavitt began his high school career at Westview High School in Portland, Ore., but he moved to Pleasant Grove High School in Utah as a sophomore. There, he started strong before he and the team struggled a bit down the stretch.
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At Pleasant Grove, Leavitt went 103-for-196 for 1,672 yards. He started the year 5-0 with a 13-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio before struggling down the stretch in an 0-4 finish, throwing just four touchdowns compared to six interceptions.
Before his junior season, Leavitt returned to Oregon and re-enrolled at Westview. There, he would throw for 2,033 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior while leading Westview to an 8-1 record. He only threw three interceptions that year.
But as a senior, Leavitt made the journey 30 minutes south to West Linn High School, a third move in three years.
It would be worth it for Leavitt, who threw for 3,184 yards and 36 touchdowns while he led West Linn to a 6A Oregon State Championship. He showed rushing prowess as well, running for 693 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022.
That helped Leavitt rise in the recruiting sphere, as he finished 381st in the country, per On3’s industry rankings. He was the 24th-ranked quarterback by the composite rankings, but On3 and 247Sports liked him considerably more, ranking him seventh and 17th, respectively.
Leavitt took his recruitment down to the wire, ultimately enrolling at Michigan State over Washington State and Florida State, where Kenny Dillingham was his primary recruiter.
Leavitt Finds a Home at Arizona State
2023 was essentially a lost season for Michigan State. Head coach Mel Tucker was fired for cause early in the season, leaving the team without a leader.
Many of the players knew they’d likely transfer in the offseason.
Leavitt played in four games, throwing for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in 45 offensive snaps. He was able to preserve his redshirt, and he transferred as soon as the year ended.
Within a week, Leavitt was in touch with Dillingham and enrolled at Arizona State.
When Jaden Rashada later transferred to Georgia, it was clear it would be Leavitt’s team.
The redshirt freshman has been excellent this season, throwing for 327 yards and two touchdowns through two games. He has also added 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns while leading an offense that has yet to turn the ball over this season.
Leavitt’s journey has probably prepared him to lead the Sun Devils in 2024. A team that wasn’t expected to make much noise, Arizona State is already exceeding early expectations. And it’s doing so with a transfer quarterback who looks extremely comfortable with being the new guy.
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