Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt out against Cincinnati; Jeff Sims starts things off

Arizona State starting quarterback Sam Leavitt will miss Saturday's game in Cincinnati and possibly additional seasons because of a rib injury.

Jeff Sims, a former starter at both Nebraska and Georgia Tech who competed with Leavitt for ASU's starting job, will lead the offense on Saturday. Coach Kenny Dillingham has no set timetable for Leavitt's return, saying, “It could be two weeks, it could be four weeks.” Arizona State has an open week after Cincinnati before visiting Oklahoma State on Nov. 2.

Leavitt said after Friday's win against Utah that he took a hit to the ribs, which “started to cramp and (I) couldn't really breathe.” But he stayed in the game as ASU won 27-19 and had 154 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception. Sims had his first two pass attempts for ASU against Utah and also threw for a rushing touchdown this season.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Sims started 23 games for Georgia Tech and the first two games of last season at Nebraska. He has 4,759 career passing yards with 31 touchdowns and 29 interceptions, as well as 1,372 career rushing yards and 12 scores. Dillingham said both Leavitt and Sims are “Sunday (NFL) talents.”

“We brought him with us to start,” Dillingham said. “Sam is a really good player, Sam beat him but it was close, Jeff had a good camp. And now Jeff, who has started a lot of games, gets to start again. For me there’s not a lot of drama.”