Kenny Dillingham can’t thank his stars enough for an unfathomable flip from 3 – 5 to 11-3. Every carefully drawn-up plan, every sideline decision, stayed sharp through a relentless gauntlet. But he knows who deserves the real rave. The boys in maroon and gold, especially the kid-turned-beast from Michigan State, who played the key cog in the success. Sam Leavitt, the QB1, led the Sun Devils to 11 wins, a conference title, and a berth in the extended playoffs. His flex? A remarkable 2,885 yards, 24 TDs, and just 6 interceptions. Coach Dillingham believed in his first-year transfer, and he delivered. The path ahead is widely daunting for the 21-year-old. But when his coach decides to show up as an anchor with a piece of wisdom, you’ve no reason to sweat.
Remember when Leavitt declared he was chasing the moon? “I’m trying to prove I’m the best quarterback on the field.”: a proud cry carrying a silent promise. It was a payback to Coach Dillingham, who took a daring leap of faith just a year back. The transfer portal has often become a double-edged sword, especially when you have suffered from a dysfunctional season. Swooping Leavitt in wasn’t just a gamble; it was a tale of blurred lines between fate and reality. And Sam Leavitt delivered. Big time. He showed up, set the gridiron on fire, and emerged as the team’s second-leading rusher with 443 yards and five touchdowns.
In the college football playoff against the Texas Longhorns, Leavitt accounted for almost 300 yards of total offense. After a full-blown effort, the Longhorns ran out of steam in an eight-point loss. But year 2 looks to be a lot more crucial for the Michigan product. In his red-shirt freshman era, he exceeded expectations. But now, the media has him on a pedestal with an early Heisman buzz. To be able to meet the crux, Coach Dillingham has some words for him. “Well, maybe I’m not the best blank, but you know what I’m going to make up for that, watch this guy hedge off screens. Well, watch this lob. Watch this bounce pass,” said the ASU coach during his conversation with George Wrighster, “like I’m going to make it up, yeah, and if you don’t have that mindset that you’re going to find a way to be the best.”
The message is loud and clear for Sam. He and all the other locker room members must not lose before they lose. Dillingham adores his QB1’s natural leadership style. He’s just out there asking his team what they have to do and if they are ready for it with a calm and poised demeanor. No extra sensation, no smokescreen talks, just pure confidence and no-nonsense in his voice turn heads.
Adding to his spark, Sam is not satisfied. He’s always hungry to get more for the sake of his team. And demands the same for his team, a mentality worth coaching for. “If you don’t have that mindset that you’re going to find a way to be the best, what are we doing! I don’t want to coach that guy,” Coach Dillingham spoke his heart out, settling a clear goal, “I want to coach the guy that I say like, ‘Settle down.’ Not the guy that I’m like. ‘Come on, buddy, you can’t say that.’”
Sam speaks the same language, and that’s an underrated asset for ASU. But his future can still hang in the balance in the second year if he doesn’t address a few stinging issues.
Sam Leavitt receives some eye-opening feedback amidst the standout freshman year
Leavitt has been electric throughout the season, flipping the doomsday fate of the Sun Devils. But let’s be real, he is far from perfect. When he stepped onto the team, nobody saw him as a game-changer. Yet, with his experience and production, he set foot in the best Big 12 QB race for the year 2025.
But if he needs to double down on his success and make the naysayers believe his debut year was anything but a fluke, he needs to tighten up the rough edges. Dalton Wasserman of the PFF College football show didn’t mince his words while evaluating Sam Leavitt with all the ebbs and flows.
“This is another one where I look at his footwork within the pocket. It still could get a little bit better. But man, oh man, does he have athletic talent and arm talent?” Wasserman quickly shifted his focus to the strength, “And I think one of the things that impressed me the most, sometimes it looks like he can be reckless and even invite pressure a little bit, using that athleticism and leaning on it a little too much. 1.1% turnover-worthy play. I believe there were only five or six turnover-worthy plays all season last year.”
While the flutters in the pocket should be an early wake-up call, what the freshman QB has done for the ASU within, taking it to the conversation for a two-time Big 12 championship in a row is huge. His turnover-worthy play rate stands at just 1.1%, placing him fourth in the country. Those 34 tackles as a runner, the ability to get the ball out faster than your doubts carry the testament of pure athleticism. Believe it or not, Sam Leavitt is brewing to be the GUY next on your search.
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