Arizona State University has found its next leader under center, and it’s a name that’s been making waves across the college football landscape: Cutter Boley. The former Kentucky Wildcats quarterback, a standout redshirt freshman in 2025, officially committed to the Sun Devils on January 3, 2026, marking a significant move in the NCAA transfer portal. Boley’s arrival in Tempe comes at a time of transition for both ASU and Kentucky, with both programs searching for stability and spark at the game’s most crucial position.
Boley, a Kentucky native and Lexington Christian Academy alum, was one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference last season. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 220 pounds, he started the 2025 campaign as Zach Calzada’s backup. But when Calzada went down with an injury in Kentucky’s second game against Ole Miss, Boley seized the opportunity and never looked back. He started 10 games, played in 11 of 12, and quickly became a household name among SEC fans.
His numbers tell the story: Boley completed 65.8% of his passes for 2,160 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He showed flashes of brilliance, especially on October 25, 2025, when he torched Tennessee’s defense for a career-high 330 yards and five touchdowns on 26-of-35 passing, adding just a single interception in a wild 56-34 loss. That performance, despite the defeat, was enough to land him on the SEC’s All-Freshman team and cement his reputation as a quarterback with a high ceiling.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Turnovers occasionally plagued Boley—he finished the season with 12 interceptions and lost two fumbles, three of which were returned for touchdowns. Yet, his poise and arm talent were hard to ignore. According to PFF, Boley’s six big-time throws ranked last among 15 qualified SEC passers, but his 18 turnover-worthy plays were tied for fourth. Still, he was third in the SEC in completion percentage, trailing only Gunner Stockton and Diego Pavia, and he added 85 rushing yards with two touchdowns on the ground. Not bad for the youngest SEC quarterback to log significant playing time in 2025.
Arizona State’s pursuit of Boley was anything but casual. Head coach Kenny Dillingham, who had recruited Boley as a high school junior while serving as Oregon’s offensive coordinator, extended an offer early in the transfer process. That prior relationship paid dividends, as Boley committed to the Sun Devils before completing his scheduled two-day visit to Tempe. Dillingham, who recently took a more hands-on role in ASU’s offense during the Sun Bowl, is expected to be instrumental in Boley’s development moving forward.
The Sun Devils were in dire need of a new quarterback after Sam Leavitt, their All-Big 12 signal-caller, missed the final five games of the 2025 season due to injury and subsequently entered the transfer portal. Leavitt, interestingly, has been linked to Kentucky, setting up the possibility of a rare 1-for-1 quarterback swap between the two programs. Backup Jeff Sims, who had also seen action for ASU, has exhausted his eligibility, leaving the Sun Devils’ quarterback room wide open for competition.
Boley’s commitment is a massive coup for Dillingham and his staff. The redshirt freshman arrives with three years of eligibility remaining and will have the chance to compete against a young but talented group that includes redshirt freshman Cameron Dyer and incoming four-star recruit Jake Fette, a native of El Paso set to enroll later this month. Michael Tollefson and redshirt sophomore Christian Hunt round out the current depth chart, but none have taken a college snap, making Boley’s experience and leadership all the more valuable.
For Kentucky, Boley’s departure comes amid a period of upheaval. The Wildcats finished 5-7 in 2025, missing bowl eligibility for the second straight year. That disappointment led to the firing of long-time head coach Mark Stoops and the hiring of Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein as his replacement. Boley, who was ranked No. 72 overall and No. 12 among quarterbacks in the On3 Transfer Portal rankings, was reportedly caught off guard by the coaching change. In an interview with Football Scoop’s John Brice, Boley admitted, “I’m still in, like … I’m still processing it a little bit. It kind of came as a bit of a surprise to, I feel like, everybody here. I think just moving forward, I’m trying to find the best place, wherever that may be, whether it’s here, or wherever I can kind of showcase what I can do in the best system for me.”
Boley’s collegiate journey has been anything but ordinary. He was a four-star prospect out of high school, ranked No. 389 overall in the 2024 class by the On3 Consensus, and reclassified to graduate a year early. After appearing in four games as a redshirt in 2024 and showing promise in limited action, he stepped into the spotlight in 2025. Across two seasons at Kentucky, Boley completed 63.3% of his passes for 2,498 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, with two additional rushing scores.
The transfer portal has become a revolving door for quarterbacks, and the Boley-Leavitt saga could mark the second consecutive season in which two schools effectively swap starting QBs. Last year, UCLA and Tennessee exchanged Nico Iamaleava and Joey Aguilar through the portal. The trend underscores just how quickly fortunes can change in college football, as coaches and players alike look for the perfect fit.
For Arizona State, the arrival of Boley is about more than just statistics. It’s a statement of intent—a signal that the Sun Devils are determined to compete at the highest level in the coming years. Dillingham’s familiarity with Boley, combined with the quarterback’s SEC experience, gives ASU a solid foundation on which to build. And with three years of eligibility left, the Sun Devils hope Boley can lead them not just to stability, but to contention in the Pac-12 and beyond.
As the dust settles on this high-profile transfer, all eyes in Tempe will be on spring practice, where Boley will begin his battle for the starting job. With a young supporting cast and a coach who believes in his potential, the stage is set for a new era of Sun Devil football. Whether Boley can deliver on the promise he showed in Lexington remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Arizona State’s quarterback room just got a whole lot more interesting.