With the mass of transfer portal exoduses, plenty of schools end up trying to make lemonade from the lemons that the portal gives them. For instance, if a team loses a starting quarterback to the portal, that can be an opportunity to nab another standout at the position and retain a high standard of play.
Exactly that situation happened at Arizona State, where QB Sam Leavitt was a much-publicized portal entrant. Leavitt had led Arizona State to the College Football Playoff in 2024, but his 2025 season was shortened by injury. Nevertheless, he was expected to see a substantial salary jump on the open market and Leavitt ended up at LSU, where he should play for Lane Kiffin’s Tigers this fall.
Arizona State Snags a Potential Star
But to replace Leavitt, Arizona State lucked on to departing Kentucky QB Cutter Boley. Boley grabbed the starting job for the Wildcats in Week 3 and played well in spots, passing for 2,160 yards and 15 touchdowns for a team that had a losing season. Kentucky fired coach Mark Stoops and with new coach Will Stein heading into town, Boley apparently figured he’d do well to make a new start.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Shepard singled out Boley as a potential transfer star. Terming Boley as “an untapped resource,” Shepard noted Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham as “just the guy to squeeze out the potential” from Boley. Shepard praised Boley’s arm strength and athleticism and noted that the sophomore to be will no longer face the gauntlet of an SEC schedule, and could shine under Dillingham’s tutelage.
Dillingham rose to a head coaching role quickly. He’s just 35 years old and came to prominence working as offensive coordinator at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State, and then Oregon. He gained a reputative as a top offensive mind and something of a QB whisperer. After a 3-9 start in his first season at Arizona State, ASU is 19-8 since and Dillingham has had to deny any interest in major jobs, as he’s been a common early target.
Boley’s Path
Meanwhile, Kentucky has not had a QB who passed for 3,000 yards since 2010. In Boley’s time, head coach Mark Stoops was a defense-first coach. Kentucky expected Zach Calzada to be the starter, but a combination of ineffectiveness and injury led to Boley claiming the starting job as a redshirt freshman.
On3 ranked Boley as the No. 113 player in the 2026 transfer portal, which placed him 15th among all QB transfers. While there were bigger names, a promising player in an outstanding situation could surprise in 2026.
