Former Heisman Winning Quarterback's Son Chooses SMU Over Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats have missed out on a former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback's son enrolling on campus next summer.

Jan 04, 2005; Miami, FL, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart in action during the 2005 Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners . Leinart, who threw 5 touchdowns, was named the game's MVP. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2005 by Preston Mack / Imagn Images

It has been a disappointing season, to say the least, for the Arizona Wildcats in their first campaign as a member of the Big 12, and the hits just keep coming.

Quarterback has been an issue for the Wildcats this year, with Sophomore Noah Fifita failing to successfully make the transition from the much-weaker (and now defunct) PAC-12, and while it has not been the only reason for the team's struggles, it certainly has not helped.

While Arizona has had two three-star recruits for the 2025 class commit to the program so far, it is never too early to look even further into the future.

One target on the Wildcats' radar has a Heisman Trophy-winning pedigree in Matt Leinart's son, Cole Leinart, but the recruit has announced that he will be committing to the SMU Mustangs per Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 QB Cole Leinart has Committed to SMU, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’4 205 QB from Los Angeles, CA chose the Mustangs over Colorado, Arizona, & Utah

Is the son of former USC QB & Heisman Trophy Winner Matt Leinarthttps://t.co/UgoRyM6xKA pic.twitter.com/5FEIEZcamB

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 6, 2024

Per 247 Sports, Leinart is a three-star recruit out of Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California.

He is ranked as the 81st-best quarterback recruit for the 2026 class in the nation and the 158th-best recruit out of California.

Besides Arizona and the Mustangs, Leinart also received offers from the UNLV Rebels, the San Jose State Spartans, the Utah Utes, the Georgia Southern Eagles, the Pittsburgh Panthers, and the Colorado Buffaloes.

SMU's dominance this season, as well as now being a part of the ACC, has helped the program on the recruiting trail, as they currently hold the 28th-ranked class in the nation for 2025, and the fifth-best in their conference, though it is too early for 2026 classes to be ranked.

The Wildcats will now need to go back to the drawing board to determine who the next quarterback for the class of 2026 is that they will try to bring to campus.