Will Stein, Dan Lanning to potentially battle over transfer portal QB

With Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein accepting the Kentucky Wildcats head coaching job in early December, there were bound to be some recruiting battles between his new program and his old.

Now, with a recent report by On3's Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos suggesting that Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt is interested in Kentucky, a potential battle between Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and Stein may play out for the top-rated player in the transfer portal.

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Of course, we first need to know whether or not the Ducks will be in the market for a portal QB, which depends on the NFL decision that is set to come from Oregon's Dante Moore. If the Ducks do need a passer in the portal, though, there have been multiple reports that Leavitt is among their top targets.

Leavitt began his career at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State and blossoming in his first year in Tempe. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound passer was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2024, throwing 24 touchdowns and helping the Sun Devils win the Big 12 championship and reach the College Football Playoff.

A West Linn, Ore. native, Leavitt battled injuries in 2025, limiting him to just seven games. He still threw 10 touchdowns and rushed for five, showing his dynamic ability through the air and on the ground.

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Reports surfaced that Leavitt was entering the transfer portal shortly after the conclusion of the regular season, with former Ducks offensive coordinator and current Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham publicly voicing support for his quarterback.

Now, another former Oregon offensive coordinator, Stein, is in the mix to land the commitment of Leavitt, with the Lanning and the Ducks representing potentially his biggest challenger.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon and Kentucky both in the mix to land transfer QB Sam Leavitt