Arizona State starting quarterback Sam Leavitt will miss Saturday’s game at Utah with an injury.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Leavitt has been “has been dealing with a lower body injury he suffered at Baylor on Sept. 20.”
Leavitt has played through the injury and wanted to play against Utah, per Thamel, but ASU is holding him out “for the team’s long term interest.”
This season, Leavitt has thrown for 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions on 63.1% completion. He was also effective on the ground, carrying the ball for 55 times for 281 yards and five scores.
Starting in Leavitt‘s place will be Jeff Sims, a six-year college football veteran.
Sims started for three years at Georgia Tech before transferring to Nebraska and finally Arizona State in 2024, where he’s backed up Leavitt.
Over his career, Sims has totaled 4,914 yards and 31 touchdowns with 29 interceptions on 57.4% completion and added 1,464 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns with 27 fumbles.
As far as backups go in the transfer portal era, Sims is solid, but the turnover and completion percentage issues have plagued him through his career.
Arizona State won’t have to alter its game plan too much, as Sims is a dual-threat quarterback like Leavitt.
In response to the news, Utah is now a 9.5-point favorite in Saturday night’s game at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where it is expected to rain all game.