Transfer Portal Rumor Could Give Hint Toward LSU Hiring Kenny Dillingham As Next Head Coach

The LSU Tigers are currently in search of a new head football coach after parting ways with Brian Kelly mid way into his fourth season with the program.

The Tigers have what many consider the top available job in the country, and a group of lead candidates is already begin to form. Among those lead candidates is Kenny Dillingham, who led Arizona State to a Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff a year ago.

Dillingham and the Sun Devils then almost proceeded to shock the world by knocking off the Peach Bowl, falling just short in double overtime.

So it’s easy to see the appeal to a program like LSU. However, Dillingham is also an Arizona State alum who just reaffirmed his commitment to the program. Now, words are just that, and money always talks in college football.

But while Dillingham has reaffirmed his commitment to ASU, one of his key players reportedly has not.

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt Could Enter Transfer Portal, Prompting LSU Speculation

On Tuesday morning, On3 Sports reported that Sun Devils’ quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is widely known at Dillingham’s star pupil, is unlikely to return to the program next season.

But Leavitt isn’t expected to enter the NFL Draft. Instead, On3 reports that he’s likely to explore the transfer portal instead.

“On3’s Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos have learned that the camp of Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt is actively shopping the talented passer “at a high level” to other programs with the plan of entering the Transfer Portal when the window opens on Jan. 2,” the report states.

At the same time, Dillingham recently became the odds-on favorite to become the next LSU head coach, per BetOnline.

Now, it’s entirely possible the two things are unrelated.

However, it’s far easier to draw the lines between dots here. Either, Leavitt thinks Dillingham is leaving and wants to explore his options. Or, Leavitt knows Dillingham is leaving and wants to follow him to LSU, which is not short on NIL funding.

But there’s a twist!

Leavitt’s brother Dallin, who represents Sam as his agent via CAA, now denies On3’s report, claiming that Sam has not determined his next step.

Either way, it’s clearly something that both LSU and Arizona State fans should be keeping an eye on.