In a stunning transfer portal reversal, Kentucky’s hometown QB Cutter Boley has bolted for Arizona State, leaving the Wildcats scrambling, just as they host his replacement, Sun Devils standout Sam Leavitt, for an intense weekend visit.

On January 3rd, Kentucky Wildcats insider Jacob Polacheck hopped onto X and spilled what’s going on in Lexington: “Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt remains on his visit to Kentucky. He is set to have dinner with the UK staff later tonight, sources tell KSR.”

According to Jacob, the head coach, Will Stein, didn’t waste any time and got right down to business, watching game film and breaking down plays until midnight. He’s been hanging around campus all weekend, staying through Saturday night for a planned dinner with the entire coaching staff. The fact that he’s still in town and hasn’t jumped on a plane to check out other schools is telling.

Sources like KSR and On3 are saying that Kentucky has absolutely become a “major player” in this recruitment battle. Plus, Will Stein, the former Oregon OC, had an eye on Sam Leavitt for some time now.

Now, it’s not a done deal yet. There are other big-name programs circling, like Oregon, LSU, Miami, and Texas Tech. Sam entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag, which is an interesting move. It basically signals that he knows exactly where he wants to go or already has strong ties somewhere, making this visit even more critical for Kentucky’s chances to seal the deal before he looks elsewhere.

Mind you, Leavitt is coming off foot surgery he had last November or late October. Safe to say that he won’t be able to practice during the spring. But when it comes to talent, he is as good as anybody in this country. Despite injury, the Oregon native balled out in 2025 and became the only QB to knock Texas Tech off in the regular season. He put up 1,628 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while adding another 306 yards and 5 scores on the ground before things went south.

If Kentucky can seal the deal during this visit, it would be one of the biggest recruiting wins in program history. For now, the “Big Blue Nation” is waiting to see if that midnight film session and a tour of Lexington are enough to convince the portal’s top prize to call Kentucky home for the next two seasons. However, in college football, things rarely go your way, and the Wildcats know that. They are keeping tabs on other options just in case things don’t work out with Sam Leavitt for some reason.

QBs that the Wildcats have on their minds

Being a quarterback in the SEC has to be one of the most mentally demanding jobs in college football. The expectations and accountability resemble those of a Fortune 500 company CEOs. This is precisely why Kentucky is looking for A-plus talent with little to no downside.

One major name to watch is Josh Hoover from TCU. A high-volume gunslinger who threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2025. While Hoover’s 13 interceptions last year are something, the staff is looking at his experience in a big-time offense, which makes him a serious contender if things with Leavitt fall through.

Another intriguing target is Landen Clark from Elon. The Phoenix QB, who put up solid numbers this year, throwing for over 2,300 yards and 18 touchdowns, was actually scheduled to be in Lexington for a visit this Monday. Kentucky is also keeping tabs on Brendan Sorsby from Cincinnati, who was a total touchdown machine in 2025 with 36 total scores and over 3,300 yards.

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Sorsby is a popular target for schools like Texas Tech as well, so the competition for him will be stiff. Looking at the current roster, the Wildcats still have veterans like Beau Allen and Zach Calzada available. They are seeing them mostly as depth pieces for 2026.

They also got an incoming four-star freshman in Matt Ponatoski, who threw for 45 touchdowns in high school last year. The goal for 2026 is to land a star like Leavitt or Hoover to lead the team right away, allowing a young talent like Ponatoski time to develop.