Let’s take a stroll to 2024. Second quarter, 13:46 minutes were left on the clock, and ASU was on the 1st and 10 against Iowa State. Sam Leavitt takes the snap and hands it off to Cam Skattebo. Skattebo runs inside the D line, cuts through it easily, and gets jumped on by the two CBs on either side. What does he do? Shrugs them off effortlessly, like trucking in Madden as the CBs lie on the ground licking the grass. The safety then tries to follow Skattebo, but the guy is slippery as an eel. Next thing you know, the safety is on the ground, and another defender is trying to pound on him. But the defender again suffers the same fate as the two CBs. Skatebbo eventually gets tackled near the 25-yard line. Before that happens, he has run 53 yards to start Iowa State’s worst possible horrors.
Skattebo, in that game, rushed for a total of 170 yards, scoring two touchdowns and helping ASU win the Big 12 championship. The announcer rightly summarized the predicament for Iowa State’s defense. “I mean, you’ve got to invite friends to the party if you’re going to tackle Cam Skattebo. I mean, you’ve got to invite every contact in your phone.” Cam Skattebo finished the season with 1,711 rushing yards, scoring 21 touchdowns, and also had 605 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. So, if you ever want to know why ASU made that historical playoff qualification and an 11-3 season, just watch Skattebo’s highlight tape, and you will know everything about it. Sam Leavitt also praised the running back in a recent interview for his heroics.
Speaking on the 22nd May episode of ‘ESPN College Football,’ the ASU QB Sam Leavitt described how lethal Skattebo was. “You talk about a player that is just so special in terms of not only the plays that he makes physically but also the way that his presence is felt on the field. The physicality that he brings sets the tone. The comfort that he gives teammates. I would just be in the backfield just talking to him the whole time, you know, and it was super fun because the way that he views the game is so special. He’s such a brilliant mind, and he views it so uniquely.” Well, Kenny Dillingham undoubtedly has played his part in ASU’s success, but without Skatebbo, there would never be an 11-3 season.
The only running back who probably outmatched Skattebo in his performances last year was Ashton Jeanty, but in terms of impact on the team, Skattebo’s reign is still supreme. Think of a game where Skattebo didn’t turn up last year. You can’t, since every game he played, he showed why he is the leader at ASU. Moreover, who could forget his performance against Texas, right? 143 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. There was a reason why the man was given the MVP award against Texas despite ASU losing the game. Still, the squad that Kenny Dillingham built and coached can’t be ignored.
Sam Leavitt also praised Coach Kenny for his contributions and described the secret ‘sauce’ behind his success. The interviewer asked Sam, “What has he (Kenny Dillingham) meant to the program?” To which the QB straight up replied, “Everything,” and then provided his reasoning. “You know, culture, bringing in the guys. He brings in players that fit in the culture, which is a recipe for success. You look at our season last year, and we don’t do what we do without the personalities that we have.”
If Cam Skattebo is Iron Man, then Kenny Dillingham is Nick Fury assembling the squad and guiding ASU to their best season since 1996. The head coach not only built the roster with top-notch recruitment via the transfer portal, which included players like Cam Skattebo and Sam Leavitt. But the man instilled a winning culture in the team, a philosophy that Dillingham himself describes as “brotherhood.” Rejecting even the most talented players who didn’t align with the ideology. “I want people who want to be here. It’s the most important thing in recruiting; it’s not the sales pitch,” Dillingham said. But now the task for the 2025 season begins for him, and he has a message for Sam Leavitt.
Kenny Dillingham has a message for Sam Leavitt and Co amid a tough reality for the 2025 season
ASU has successfully retained a whopping 79% of last year’s production and is currently ranked second in ESPN’s rankings. Sam Leavitt came back after a 2,663-yard season, and Jordon Tyson is coming back, who had 1,101 receiving yards. In defense, Kenny Dillingham is bringing back players like Zyrus Fiaseu (LB) and Xavion Alford (safety). Moreover, incoming transfer Nyland Green is coming from Purdue to provide that additional production. Still, the head coach has a message for the players and Sam Leavitt, now that Cam Skattebo is gone.
“I support our guys, believing in themselves, and I’ll back that up from now till forever. That has nothing to do with somebody else. It has to do with what he believes in. If I take the field, if I’m hooping on Tuesday at 5:30 a.m., I am not the best player, but I’m going to think I am. If you don’t have that mindset that you’re going to find a way to be the best, then what are we doing? Like, I don’t want to coach that guy. I want to coach the guy that I say like, “Settle down.” Not the guy that I’m like, “Come on, buddy.” Yeah, I want the guy who’s like, “Okay let’s”—and you can’t really say that.” Well, the team has the right momentum and the right players; all they need is that clutch mentality.
The head coach has a few tough games in 2025, like the week 2 game against Mississippi State and that road game against Baylor in week 4. The October 18th game against Texas Tech won’t be a walk in the park either, and Iowa State and Colorado could throw some curveballs too. Overall, the schedule seems pretty manageable, but it’ll be interesting to see how the team handles it with their winning vibes!
The post Sam Leavitt Makes Big Admission on Cam Skattebo’s ASU Legacy & Sends Strong Message on Kenny Dillingham appeared first on EssentiallySports.
