Jaden Rashada is expected to leave Arizona State and enter the transfer portal, as Sam Leavitt is expected to be named the starting quarterback, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported Thursday.
Leavitt separated himself during spring practice and appeared on track to win the starting job as Rashada was limited in spring with a thumb injury, according to Gambadoro.
Rashada met with head coach Kenny Dillingham on Thursday to inform the coach he would look for opportunities elsewhere after playing three games as a freshman at ASU.
The Sun Devils are expected to bring in an additional quarterback in the transfer portal, Gambadoro said.
Leavitt transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State in the offseason after former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith replaced Mel Tucker. Smith did not recruit Leavitt out of the Beavers’ home state, which Leavitt acknowledged to Spartans Illustrated when discussing his decision to transfer.
As a transfer, Leavitt said he had earned offers from Oregon State, BYU, Utah and Washington State.
Leavitt played sparingly as a freshman in 2023, appearing in split time over four games with his redshirt abilities still intact and four years of eligibility remaining.
He completed 15-of-23 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback added 67 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
Leavitt was 247Sports’ 18th-ranked quarterback and a four-star prospect out of West Linn, Oregon, two years ago. The first offer listed by 247Sports came from Florida State in June 2021, when Dillingham was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Seminoles.
Red-shirt senior defensive back Ed Woods became the latest Arizona State football player to enter the transfer portal. And unlike the previous four, head coach Kenny Dillingham admits this one took him by surprise.
Woods, a 6-foot, 180-pounder, was a projected starter at one of the cornerback positions. He has started 13 games, four of those last season. He registered 33 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one interception, four break-ups and two forced fumbles.
His high of six tackles in a game came in back-to-back contests against Washington State and Washington. His interception came against No. 6 Oregon.
Woods was not on the field with the Sun Devils for Monday’s practice, the 13th of 15 spring practices. On his X account Monday, Woods reposted another X post reporting he was entering the portal.
“I didn’t know that for sure,” Dillingham said, when asked about Woods’ apparent departure. “Ed’s a good player. If he does enter the portal, I have a lot of respect for Ed. I really want Ed to succeed in life. Hopefully, that’s here and hopefully, I think I can help him get to where he wants to go. If he’s not here, that is a loss for us.
“That is a position that we’ve got to go get a guy. That wasn’t one that I expected, to be honest. Up to this point, it’s kind of been what I expected. That was one that would be a curveball and we’ve got to alter our plan, by one, to replace.”
The Sun Devils are deep in the secondary, particularly at safety, so Dillingham said he could slide one of the safeties over to play corner. ASU did get a couple of Division I cornerback transfers there in Javan Robinson (Washington State) and Laterrance Welch (LSU). True freshman Rodney Bimage has also looked good at that position this spring.
Dillingham said he will get with his defensive coaches and consider all options.
The portal is open through April 30 and Woods makes the fifth ASU player to depart since it opened last Tuesday. The others are quarterback Jaden Rashada, wide receiver Elijhah Badger, tight end Bryce Pierre and defensive back R.J. Regan.
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