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The future of Sun Devil Football is bright as Sam Leavitt's leadership continues to shine

The young quarterback acted as a leader when his team needed him the most

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Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) checks the line of scrimmage before snapping the ball during the College Football Playoff quarterfinals Peach Bowl in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2024 in Atlanta, Ga. ASU lost 39-31.


Before the Peach Bowl fiasco, during the joint head coach press conference, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham was asked to give an example of his quarterback's leadership. 

Mind you, his is a redshirt freshman. 

His answer, when quarterback Sam Leavitt took the huddle against Kansas, and ASU was down 31-28 with a little over two minutes remaining. He first said, "You guys ready to go score?" 

What did ASU do?

It scored a go-ahead touchdown to beat Kansas and fuel the run that led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff. 

"He plays his best in these biggest moments," Dillingham said in reference to Leavitt. "That's when I really felt like his leadership took the next step and the team bought into him."

Leavitt won Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year for his performance on the season. He accounted for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns with just six interceptions and added more than 400 yards on the ground. He stepped up in multiple big moments throughout the year, but New Year's Day differed. 

During the College Football Playoff, all eyes are on you. Being the only matchup on, the entire nation can criticize players for every decision they make. For Leavitt, it's the perfect environment to thrive. 

He wanted nothing less than a win entering Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the No. 5 seeded Texas Longhorns. The fiery spirit showcased itself on the first ASU possession. Senior running back Cam Skattebo wasn't on the same page as Leavitt on a screen pass, which resulted in an incomplete third-down pass. 

Leavitt ensured Skattebo received an earful for not doing his job correctly as they walked over to the sideline. A redshirt freshman standing up to a senior who's also the team's star. That mindset may be vital to lead a team back to the college football playoff.

"What (Skattebo and Leavitt) did this year is absolutely unbelievable," Dillingham said. "Everybody should have the utmost respect for what both those guys did, not just being the players they were, but the leaders of the football team." 

Down 17-3 at halftime in the Peach Bowl, ASU's offense couldn't buy a point. Regardless, as they returned to the locker room for the break, Leavitt made sure his team knew he believed.

"(Defense) we got you all," Leavitt said per Max Zepeda of Cronkite Sports. "We got you all on the back end." 

Throughout the game, Leavitt endured constant pressure. Texas knew Leavitt could scramble, so to counteract it, they blitzed heavily and had a quarterback spy on Leavitt so he couldn't escape the pocket. During that, he ensured his team kept fighting and believing they could win the game.  

Skattebo eventually took over in the fourth quarter, and the score was tied 24-24. Overtime hit, and ASU faced a third-and-14 on its first possession in overtime. A field goal wasn't enough against a team like Texas.

It was time for Leavitt to shine.

He evaded multiple defenders and gained 16 yards for a first down, setting up for a Sun Devil score. ASU eventually got the ball back in the second overtime. Third-and-8, the perfect moment for Leavitt to shine like he loves to do — like he did on the previous drive. He took the snap, looked left and threw the out route to graduate receiver Melquan Stovall

But this time, he didn't shine in the pressure. 

Senior defensive back Andrew Mukuba intercepted the pass and sealed the game. Leavitt stood in disbelief as orange and white jerseys stormed the field. 

In tears, he answered questions from the media for the final time this season. But for the young Leavitt, this loss was just the beginning. 

"Crazy season," Leavitt said. "One of the best things is (our) passion, it's pretty special. That stems from coach Dillingham and the staff. We have a different level of passion and something that I've never been a part of."

Hours after the loss, he posted on Instagram with a message to the Sun Devil faithful.

"Love this team," Leavitt said. "We'll be back believe that." 

Edited by Henry Smardo, Abigail Beck and Natalia Jarrett.


Reach the reporter at danielr1102@gmail.com and follow @daniel_rios72 on X.

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Daniel RiosSports Reporter

Daniel is a senior studying sports journalism. This is his first semester with The State Press. He has also worked at WCSN, OC Riptide, 1550 Sports and AZPreps365.


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