He may not have been a great NFL quarterback, but Matt Leinart sure as hell was great in college.
Winning two national championships and a Heisman Trophy while at USC, Leinart is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished college quarterbacks in recent memory.
As it turns out, his son is pretty damn good as well.
Cole Leinart is only a sophomore in high school, but he just made a big decision.
Cole has transferred from football powerhouse Mater Dei High School (Cali) to Newport Harbor High School (Cali).
Standing at an imposing 6’4″ and weighing 190 pounds, Cole has been the backup quarterback for four-star sensation Elijah Brown at Mater Dei.
Brown, a highly touted prospect, will be heading to Stanford University next fall.
According to Eric Sondheimer, a high school football expert at the LA Times, there are rumors that Mater Dei might be gaining a significant addition to their roster in the form of Julian Lewis, a top 2026 quarterback and USC commit.
Lewis currently attends Carrollton High School in Georgia, where he has garnered attention for his impressive performances.
Cole Leinart has left Mater Dei and enrolled on Wednesday at Newport Harbor. Son of Heisman Trophy Matt Leinart. Sophomore quarterback.
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) September 28, 2023
“This could be why Leinart decided to take his talents elsewhere,” Sondheimer remarked, hinting at the possibility of Mater Dei securing Lewis as their quarterback of the future.
At the moment, Cole is not ranked in the 247Sports recruiting rankings. However, his decision to transfer to Newport Harbor High School signals his intent to continue honing his skills and develop as a quarterback outside of Mater Dei.
Matt Leinart, a celebrated alumnus of Mater Dei, left an indelible mark on the school’s football history.
He led Mater Dei to a Division 1 co-championship, was named the Serra League’s Offensive MVP, and received the prestigious Gatorade California High School Football Player of the Year award during his time at the school.
We’ll see if Cole will end up following in his famous father’s footsteps…