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Arizona State football just received some great news on quarterback Sam Leavitt. The redshirt freshman was sensational under center, winning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and being named Second-team All-Conference. The Sun Devils had their best season this century with second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham. The team's season eventually ended in a thrilling Peach Bowl loss to No. 3 Texas.
While All-American running back Cam Skattebo is leaving Tempe this offseason, Leavitt has confirmed he's here for long haul. College Sports Business and Transfer Portal Reporter for On3 Pete Nakos confirmed the West Linn, Oregon native has signed a new deal with the Sun Devils for 2025. Leavitt gave a confident statement on his goals when the news was announced.
“I want to have a statue here and to make Arizona State something that it's never been before.”
Sam Leavitt is primed to be a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2025
The 20-year-old has already spearheaded the Sun Devils to heights that the program has not seen in a while. Before this season the last time Arizona State football won a conference title was in 1996. Kenny Dillingham's team won six straight to end 2024, including three wins over top 25 teams. This streak included a dominant Big 12 Championship game victory over Iowa State. That finish was enough to get the 11-2 Sun Devils a bye in the College Football Playoff.
Arizona State followed the format of the other three teams with a bye in its New Year's Day quarterfinal. The Sun Devils got off to a very slow start. As the game continued, the Longhorns were up by as much as 16 points with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. The QB/RB duo of Leavitt and Skattebo then led an incredible comeback, scoring 16 unanswered points.
From there, the game was mired in controversy with a no-call that hurt the Sun Devils in the last two minutes. The Longhorns were eventually able to close the game in overtime in a tight 39-31 affair. Sam Leavitt and company, however, showcased the special culture that this team has built under Kenny Dillingham. Arizona State football is here to compete for Big 12 titles on a consistent basis.
Coming off of a season where he had the ninth best QBR in the country, Leavitt is primed to take the next step in his development. Losing Cam Skattebo does hurt the Sun Devils going into 2025. However, the potential the star quarterback showed this year already has him on way-too-early Heisman Trophy contender lists.
Overall, the future is bright for Arizona State football. Bringing back Sam Leavitt is a sign that the program has the culture and infrastructure to attract and keep elite talent. Kenny Dillingham has set a new bar in Tempe and the rest of the college football world has been put on notice.
