Spartan Nation

REPORT: Michigan State QB Sam Leavitt 'done' with Spartans after Jonathan Smith hire

The transfer portal has become part of the business of college football, but athletes choose to leave over personal reasons as well. It certainly sounds like that's the case here...

Matthew Lounsberry

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The mass exodus is on in East Lansing, as Michigan State's football roster undergoes massive departures in the wake of a disastrous 2023 season.

As of 6 p.m. on Monday evening, we have seen two MSU graduate players (linebacker Darius Snow and offensive tackle Spencer Brown) enter the NCAA transfer portal. Three other undergraduates — quarterback Katin Houser, offensive tackle Ethan Boyd and offensive guard Kevin Wigenton — have openly declared their intention to enter the portal when the fall window opens on Dec. 4.

And now, a second quarterback is also expected to enter the transfer portal — true freshman Sam Leavitt — and it doesn't sound like he'll play again for the Spartans.

In a report from Rivals.com's Spartans Illustrated, Leavitt confirmed that he will be leaving Michigan State behind and finishing his career elsewhere. This decision comes in stark contrast to the statements Leavitt has made previously about his future in East Lansing, but there's a reason for that — he has no intention of playing for new Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith.

An Oregon native, former four-star recruit and the 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year in his home state, Leavitt never received a scholarship offer from Smith when he was the head coach at Oregon State. According to the report, Leavitt still harbors "hard feelings" toward Smith over this fact.

"I'm a hometown kid and [Jonathan Smith] didn't offer me," Leavitt told Spartans Illustrated publisher David Harns, who reports Leavitt met with Smith on Monday and brought up what happened during his recruitment.

"There are some hard feelings there," Leavitt told Harns. "I felt slighted by that. Why would they like me now when they didn't like me before?"

Leavitt was a part of the same recruiting cycle as current Oregon State freshman Aiden Chiles, who signed with Smith and the Beavers last year. Both were considered four-star quarterback prospects, but Oregon State went all in on its pursuit of Chiles (ranked No. 152 overall by 247Sports' composite) over Leavitt (No. 312). Chiles was considered the No. 12 quarterback in his class, while Leavitt was ranked No. 21. It is possible that Chiles will enter the transfer portal as well and join Smith in East Lansing but, per NCAA rules, Smith is not allowed to actively try to persuade his former quarterback to transfer to MSU until after Chiles enters the portal.

Harns asked Leavitt if there was any chance he would continue his career at Michigan State, to which Leavitt replied: "Yeah, I'm just kinda done."

By appearing in just four games for the Spartans this season, Leavitt preserved a redshirt year and will have four years of eligibility remaining wherever he chooses to continue his college career. Leavitt personally announced his intention to enter the transfer portal with a social media post Monday evening.

In addition to the five Michigan State players who entered, or announced their intentions to transfer, on Monday, four other players entered the portal during the 30-day window which opened to the program after former head coach Mel Tucker was fired — long snapper Hank Pepper, offensive lineman Keyshawn Blackstock, running back Jordon Simmons and defensive back Justin White.

Additionally, defensive end Tunmise Adeleye, has left the program and will likely enter the portal on Dec. 4. Cornerback Terry Roberts, who transferred to MSU from Iowa last offseason, left the program before the season began and never played for the Spartans. All transfer portal activity for Michigan State football can be viewed here.

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Matthew Lounsberry
MATTHEW LOUNSBERRY

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