Cole Leinart, the son of Heisman winner Matt Leinart, to leave Mater Dei
Cole Leinart is headed out from Mater Dei, as the son of former Heisman winner Matt Leinart has undertaken a rare mid-season transfer.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, Leinart is headed to Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, California). The class of 2026 quarterback has seen limited action so far this season while at Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California).
Mater Dei is the top team in the USA TODAY HSS Super 25.
In two games this season, Leinart was 2-of-3 for 10 yards and a touchdown. In 2022 as a freshman, he saw limited action, appearing in seven games. Newport is currently 2-3 on the season.
Two of their three losses this year have been by a combined four points.
The reason for the transfer, according to Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times, could well be because of a potential incoming transfer quarterback for Mater Dei next season that could make for a very crowded quarterback room.
Julian Lewis, a USC commit from Georgia, could be headed to Mater Dei next year according to Sondheimer. Lewis is a four-star quarterback.
Leinart currently measures in at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds and he holds offers from Arizona, Colorado, Pittsburgh and Utah among others.
His father, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 while at USC and played seven years in the NFL, was a first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL draft.
He currently works as an analyst for FoxSports.
