Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt Will Not Play In Utah Game

SALT LAKE CITY—On Thursday, Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt was listed as doubtful. On Friday, Arizona State officials confirmed that starting quarterback Sam Leavitt will not play against Utah on Saturday.

Chris Karpman, publisher of Sun Devil Source found on the 247 Sports network, reported Friday afternoon that Leavitt will officially not play against Utah, while other reports indicated that this was verified by Arizona State team officials.

BREAKING: Sam Leavitt will not play against Utah, per sources. Jeff Sims will start.

— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) October 10, 2025

Leavitt had initially been listed as probable on Wednesday’s report, but the update from ASU officials clarified his absence due to an unspecified injury. Sun Devil Source publisher Chris Karpman confirmed the report’s accuracy.

Sam Leavitt out, Jeff Sims in for Arizona State

With Leavitt out, senior quarterback Jeff Sims is expected to start in his place unless there is a late change before kickoff.

Leavitt had participated in practices earlier in the week with the first team and spoke with reporters following Tuesday’s session, with no mention of injury at the time. However, the sudden change underscores the uncertainty surrounding the Sun Devils’ quarterback situation heading into a high-stakes road matchup at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Sims, a senior quarterback for Arizona State, possesses a lot of experience and dual-threat capability to the field.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 220 pounds, Sims has played in 33 college games across three programs: Georgia Tech, Nebraska, and Arizona State. Over his six-year career, he has accumulated 4,914 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions, along with 1,442 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

His ability to extend plays with his legs and make throws on the run makes him a dual-threat quarterback. Sims’ familiarity with the Sun Devils’ offensive system will be crucial as he steps in for Leavitt.

He may lack Leavitt’s chemistry with the top receivers, Sims’ experience and mobility provide a solid foundation for Arizona State’s offense.

Utah’s thursday availability report for Arizona State

The second availability report for Saturday’s contest at Rice-Eccles had one player removed from the initial report on Wednesday.

Utah defensive tackle, Dallas Vakalahi, was removed from the report after being listed as “probable” the day before. The Utes are coming off a bye in which rest and recovery were emphasized by Whittingham, which seems to have made a difference.

• Out: S Rabbit Evans, S Nate Ritchie, WR Daidren Zipperer, TE Hunter Andrews, DE Paul Fitzgerald, S Josh Sovereign, OL Isaiah Garcia

Kyle Whittingham revealed no season-ending injuries vs WVU

Kyle Whittingham shared in his Monday press conference that Utah avoided anything significant on the injury front against West Virginia.

“None of those injuries were season-ending,” Whittingham explained. “Going forward, you’ll just check the availability report. But again, fortunately, not season-ending. We’ll see who we have available this week and who we don’t.”

RELATED: Arizona State Up Next, Utah Quarterback Devon Dampier: “We Have To Prove Ourselves”

🛑🚨‼️𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆‼️🚨🛑#GoUtes | @SeatGeek pic.twitter.com/xy2sfDlJVl

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 8, 2025

Utah’s Initial Availability Report vs. Arizona State

The opening availability list for Saturday’s contest at Rice-Eccles reveals a mix of confirmed losses and players still in the gray zone.

• Out: S Rabbit Evans, S Nate Ritchie, WR Daidren Zipperer, TE Hunter Andrews, DE Paul Fitzgerald, S Josh Sovereign, OL Isaiah Garcia
• Probable: DT Dallas Vakalahi

No Utah player appears on the “doubtful” or “questionable” list yet.

RELATED: What Stood Out From Kyle Whittingham’s Arizona State Week Press Conference

One sub-story: Nate Ritchie, who was carted off during the West Virginia game, is officially ruled out for this matchup. Whittingham confirmed that while the injury is serious, it’s not season-ending.

Utah plans to rely on a mixture of two-way athlete Jackson Bennee, freshman Nate Tilmon, or move cornerbacks into safety roles as depth options.

Arizona State’s initial availability report

The Sun Devils are also dealing with attrition. Their initial report lists 10 players out, with several others doubtful or questionable.

Notable among them:

• Out: DB Xavion Alford, DT Zac SwansDE Albert Smith III, WR Noble Johnson, QB Cameron Dyer, DL Zac Swanson

• Doubtful: OL Desean Bryant Jr

• Questionable: RB Kyson Brown, DB Montana Warren

• Probable: QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jordyn Tyson, TE Chamon Metayer, DL Clayton Smith, S Xavier Skowron

RELATED: Utah Athletics Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Class

Coach Kenny Dillingham did offer a bit of encouraging news for Sun Devils fans: Jalen Moss is expected to return from absence, adding a wrinkle back into their offense.

He also suggested that DB Xavion Alford is likely still out, and DL Zac Swanson won’t probably return just yet.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

Take us with you, wherever you go.

Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.

Follow @BartleKSLsports