Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt will miss Saturday’s rematch of last year’s Big 12 Conference championship game against Iowa State in Ames, a school spokesperson announced Tuesday.
Leavitt, who guided the Sun Devils over the Cyclones 45-19 in last year’s conference title game, left last Saturday’s loss to Houston twice due to an apparent foot injury. Coach Kenny Dillingham told reporters that Leavitt tweaked the same foot that kept him out of Arizona State’s loss to Utah earlier month.
“Sam got re-tweaked there at the end,” Dillingham said. “He got tweaked at the beginning and we sent him in to get some imaging. He wanted to go right back in, and I said, ‘No, you’re going to get imaging before you go back in, don’t care how you feel.’ Then he came back. Then at the end, he tweaked himself again, so we held him out.”
Before exiting in favor of senior Jeff Sims, Leavitt threw for 270 yards and one touchdown for the Sun Devils (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) in the 24-16 loss to the Cougars. Sims, who threw a TD pass in relief, will likely start Saturday against the Cyclones (5-3, 2-3). Against Utah on Oct. 11, Sims started in place of the injured Leavitt and completed 18 of 38 passes for 124 yards and was sacked five times.
This season, Leavitt has completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 300 yards and five scores.
The Sun Devils might also be standout without wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who has not practiced this week after missing the Houston matchup due a hamstring injury suffered Oct. 18 against Texas Tech. Tyson leads Arizona State with 57 catches for 628 yards and eight touchdowns.
Sun Devils running back Kyson Brown (ankle) and safety Xavion Alford (undisclosed) have been ruled out for Saturday’s game.
