Nobody had Arizona State on their 2024 bingo card, nor did anyone bet their house on the Sun Devils to win the Big 12. Kenny Dillingham took a squad that limped to a 3-9 record in Year 1 and flipped the script like he owed Tempe a refund. By the time they hit 11 wins, cracked the Big 12 title stage, and pushed Texas to double overtime in the Peach Bowl, folks were looking around like, ‘Wait, this was supposed to be a rebuild?’ And now? The heat is back on. But this time, it’s not about proving folks wrong—it’s about showing it wasn’t a fluke.
The big story coming out of spring ball wasn’t even about revenge. It was Sam Leavitt—Arizona State’s redshirt freshman-turned-field general—who dropped one of the best rookie QB performances in the nation. 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, just six picks, plus five more scores with his legs? Those ain’t just freshman stats—that’s future Sunday talk. And the wildest part? He was a one OT drive away from turning the Peach Bowl into a signature playoff win, trading haymakers with Quinn Ewers in a game that looked like it was directed by Christopher Nolan.
So now here we are: Year 2. Expectations high. Pressure even higher. Cam Skattebo’s gone, leaving a stat line that looks Photoshopped and some major cleats to fill. But Leavitt? He’s not just back—he’s better. According to Chris Karpman, who broke it all down on the Cover 3 Podcast, Leavitt has evolved from highlight-hunting gunslinger to a more disciplined field general: “Biggest thing, I think, is with his understanding of defenses, situationally. He and Dillingham talked a lot in spring ball about his willingness to take checkdowns, accept the small gain and move on to the next play—rather than always be needing to kind of scramble around and do things that are a little bit more heroic…He seems to be more cognizant of that.”
The biggest shift for Sam Leavitt? He’s starting to really get how defenses move, especially in tough spots. Sam Leavitt and Dillingham chopped it up all spring about taking the easy stuff—checkdowns, small gains—rather than always trying to play hero ball. That’s not exactly in his DNA, since he knows there’s always a shot at something bigger downfield, but now he’s picking his spots smarter. Sandwich that between his mobility and elite ball security—lowest INTs among regular starters last season—and you’ve got a scary good sophomore in the making.
And let’s not forget the weapons. When you ask ASU fans what went wrong in the Peach Bowl, they’ll point to the absence of Jordyn Tyson. Leavitt has one of the nastiest returning receivers in the country—Jordyn Tyson. The guy missed the postseason, and he still put up 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. On third downs alone? 300 yards on 18 grabs. That’s 16.67 yards per third-down catch. You know what that means? He’s the Grim Reaper of drives—if you’re a defense, he’s the end of your hopes.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly pointed out that 79% of ASU’s starters are back. That’s not just experience—that’s continuity with a chip on its shoulder. And if you’re asking what success looks like in Tempe this year, Karpman didn’t hesitate: “Success is at least nine wins. Like, probably 10 wins is what most ASU fans are going to look at. And a repeat of Big 12 Championship for this to be considered a successful season—just given that you have two-thirds of your starters returning, most of your top backups. Sam Leavitt—he’s a Heisman whispered candidate early on.”
The road is low-key smooth, though. But trips to Utah, Iowa State, and Colorado in late fall scream trap games. ASU hasn’t won in Salt Lake City since 2017. Cold weather could mess with the Sun Devils’ rhythm, but hey, if Leavitt keeps his cool and that O-line holds firm (four starters return), then Arizona State just might cook again.
The Sun Devils’ Biggest Problem? Who’s Going to Replace Cam Skattebo!
You hear “Arizona State 2024” and the first name that jumps out ain’t Leavitt, Tyson, or Dillingham—it’s Cam Skattebo. That man ran the Big 12 like it owed him money. Offensive MVP in the Peach Bowl despite the loss? Facts. His stat line: 1,711 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns, plus another 600+ through the air and three receiving scores. Oh, and don’t forget the 42-yard touchdown pass. The Giants’ RB was a one-man marching band.
Bud Elliott from Cover 3 kept it real: “Last year… 294 carries and 52 targets. That’s basically half the offensive plays going through Skattebo.” That kind of workload isn’t just rare—it’s irreplaceable. So how does Dillingham move forward without his MVP?
Karpman didn’t sugarcoat it. This ain’t going to be a one-man show. “Unlike the last few years where ASU had a 1,000-yard rusher consistently… this year looks more like a committee.” And that committee starts with three names: Tevin White, Raleek Brown, and Kanye Udoh. Think of it like a three-headed monster, each head with a different flavor of chaos.
Tevin White? Speed demon. Legit track guy with a 10.6 100-meter dash. Was Skattebo’s primary backup, and the game’s finally slowed down for him. Raleek Brown? Folks forgot how hyped he was coming out of high school. Transferred from USC and spent 2024 on the sideline with a grade-three hamstring injury. Now he’s healthy and ready to roll. Add in Udoh—Army transfer with 1,000+ yards and 10 touchdowns last season—and suddenly ASU’s offense doesn’t look like it lost a step. You’ve got three backs with completely different styles.
This won’t be about replicating Skattebo’s production. That’s a fool’s errand. It’ll be about combining complementary skill sets. Raleek’s your space guy, Tevin’s the burner, and Udoh’s the hammer. And they’ll be running behind an O-line returning four starters. That’s massive. You want to offset a talent like Skattebo? You better have chemistry in the trenches—and ASU does.
The silver lining here? You don’t have to feed one back 30 times a game to move the chains. With Leavitt’s improved decision-making, Tyson back healthy, and a committee of versatile backs, this offense could be even harder to scheme against.
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