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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Arizona State will start the season with a fresh face at quarterback.
Sources told ESPN that redshirt freshman transfer Sam Leavitt has been named the starting quarterback for the opener against Wyoming. He beat out transfer Jeff Sims (Georgia Tech/Nebraska), and sources said both have been informed of the decision.
Leavitt won the job after emerging as the favorite with a strong camp. At Michigan State last season, he completed 15-of-23 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
Leavitt played in four games as a true freshman at MSU. He is an Oregon native who won Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at West Linn High School.
Sims is a well-traveled quarterback who has played in 30 career games since starting his career at Georgia Tech in 2020. He has 31 career touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham has said throughout camp he’s looking for consistency and versatility in the position, which is what Leavitt ultimately offered.
The Sun Devils are coming off back-to-back 3-9 seasons. This is Dillingham’s second season, and the roster is considered much more talented after the defections that came amid the atrophy of the Herm Edwards era.
Arizona State plays Wyoming, hosts Mississippi State and then travels to Texas State before starting its inaugural season in the Big 12.