QB Leinart, son of ex-USC star Matt, picks SMU
-
Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
California high school quarterback prospect Cole Leinart, the son of former USC star and Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, committed to SMU on Wednesday.
Leinart, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, is a junior at California’s Redondo Union High School. Not currently rated by ESPN, he held several Power 4 offers and picked the Mustangs over Colorado, Arizona and Utah to become the second member of coach Rhett Lashlee’s 2026 class.
“The culture they’re building at SMU — I just want to be a part of it,” Leinart told ESPN. “I love the coaching staff. They’re literally like family now. I just want to be part of what they have there.”
Way to go bud. Proud of you. This is just the beginning! #ponyup https://t.co/AsU9pXiltl
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 6, 2024
Leinart’s commitment landed Wednesday, nearly 19 years since his father closed a legendary playing career at USC.
Matt Leinart was a three-time All-American with the Trojans from 2001 to 2005, carrying a record of 37-2 across three seasons as a starter during which USC won back-to-back national titles (2003 and 2004). Leinart set 16 program records over the course of his college career and became the Trojans’ sixth Heisman Trophy winner in 2004. He went on to spend six seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders.
The younger Leinart now joins cornerback Victor Lincoln (Lancaster, Texas) as the second prospect committed to SMU in 2026. In the 2025 cycle, the Mustangs hold a quarterback pledge from four-star dual-threat passer Ty Hawkins, who flipped from TCU in July. Hawkins is one of three ESPN 300 prospects committed to SMU’s 2025 class, which sits at No. 28 in the latest team rankings for the cycle.
Leinart began his high school career at California power Mater Dei High School before transferring to Newport Harbor last fall. Leinart then transferred to Redondo Union prior to his junior season this fall, and he made his debut on Sept. 27 after being sidelined for four games due to California Interscholastic Federation transfer rules. Leinart and Redondo Union will open the 2024 postseason this week against California’s Aquinas High School.
SMU was the first program to seriously pursue Leinart when the Mustangs offered him a scholarship under former coach Sonny Dykes prior to Leinart’s freshman year of high school. Dykes moved on to TCU shortly thereafter, but Leinart remained in touch with the Mustangs and soon developed a close relationship with Lashlee, SMU’s third-year coach.
Leinart’s commitment to the Mustangs comes days after he visited SMU and attended the team’s 48-25 win over Pitt on Saturday.
“They’ve been No. 1 for a long time, and then I got out to a game this past weekend,” Leinart said. “It was awesome to see. The offense is open. The defense is lights out. And it’s just a fun team. The whole vibe is just awesome. I’m happy to be a part of it.”
For Leinart, who initially followed in his father’s footsteps at Mater Dei, college football represents an opportunity to continue a family legacy in the sport.
“Everyone sees the last name, but they don’t really see the work that my parents put in for me to get to this place,” Leinart said. “This isn’t just me. This is everything. I get to carry the tradition and play football, and I think they’re happy for me.”
SMU (8-1) was selected at No. 13 in the first rankings released by the College Football Playoff selection committee Tuesday. The Mustangs are off in Week 11 ahead of a visit from Boston College on Nov. 16.
Sports
NHL trade grades: Report cards for the Trent Frederic swap, Seth Jones blockbuster, other major deals
-
Ryan S. Clark
-
Greg Wyshynski
The NHL trade deadline for the 2024-25 season is not until March 7, but teams have not waited until the last minute to make major moves.
For every significant trade that occurs during the season, you’ll find a grade for it here, the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks swapping goaltenders, Cam Fowler to the St. Louis Blues, Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken, the blockbuster deal sending Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes and Martin Necas to the Avalanche, J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers, and the Canucks staying busy and getting Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
March 1 featured three big trades, with Ryan Lindgren headed to the Colorado Avalanche, the Minnesota Wild adding Gustav Nyquist, and Seth Jones joining the Florida Panthers.
Read on for grades from Ryan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski, and check back the next time a big deal breaks.
MIAMI — Rimas Sports, the agency co-owned by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny whose leaders have been suspended by the baseball players’ union, announced a management deal Tuesday with San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.
Rimas said it will oversee marketing, brand relations and other services, working to “expand his portfolio as an athlete, businessman and philanthropist.”
Tatis and the Padres agreed in 2021 to a $340 million, 14-year contract negotiated by MVP Sports, an agency headed by Dan Lozano.
Rimas Sports says it is a partnership among Bad Bunny and executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda. The company says it represents the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., the Colorado Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar and the New York Mets’ Francisco Alvarez.
Although Rimas Sports is prohibited from negotiating contracts with teams, the agency is allowed to strike marketing deals with players.
The Major League Baseball Players Association revoked the agent certification of Rimas’ William Arroyo last April and denied certification to Assad and Miranda, citing a $200,000 interest-free loan and a $19,500 gift. The union issued a $400,000 fine for misconduct.
Arbitrator Ruth M. Moscovitch last October upheld the union’s five-year suspensions of Assad and Miranda and cut Arroyo’s suspension to three years.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden in Manhattan set a Feb. 18 deadline for Assad, Miranda and Arroyo to file a response to the union’s motion to confirm the decision, but no response has been filed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports11 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway