Sam Leavitt, the signal-caller for Arizona State, looks poised to capitalize on a stellar 2024 campaign, which turned his Sun Devils into national title contenders — not contenders for the Big 12.
Sam Leavitt’s Recognition
On3 senior writer Ari Wasserman named Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt one of his top ten returning players in 2025. The list, composed of players from strictly Power Four conferences, includes Leavitt in a list littered with All-Americans and award watch-list candidates. Seven of the players, including Leavitt, competed in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Yet, to some, Leavitt may exude a “one of these is not like the other” vibe. Still, the axiom of “going with the hot hand” applies here. How else can you explain a quarterback who completes less than 62% of his passes with just one 300-yard game?
In 2024, Leavitt left Michigan State looking for a better path forward. The Spartans hired a new coach and wanted to start fresh. As a result, Leavitt headed for Tempe with the hope of a fresh start and new opportunities in the Big 12.
In 2024, the redshirt sophomore threw for 2,885 yards and 26 touchdowns. On the ground, he added 443 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
After an eight-point loss to Texas Tech on Sept. 21, Leavitt and the Sun Devils locked in and rattled off eight straight wins, including a Big 12 Championship Game victory. This came to a halt when the team lost an overtime heartbreaker to Texas in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Yet, the objective remains the same for the sophomore.
Can Leavitt Give an Encore Performance?
While Leavitt may have made this list, can the Sun Devils repeat their late-season success and make another playoff run? In 2025, ASU will undergo an on-the-fly makeover. With RB Cam Skattebo heading off to play on Sundays in the NFL, the Sun Devils’ offense will change drastically. In Skattebo’s absence, Army transfer RB Kanye Udoh looks to pick up the slack in the backfield.
Alabama transfer WR Jaren Hamilton looks to ignite a vertical passing game that wants to take the top off defenses in an attempt to open up the running game underneath. With three years of eligibility remaining, Hamilton can finally become the playmaker that his lack of playing time in Tuscaloosa prevented.
If Leavitt wants to repeat the successes of 2024, he will need to tackle a gauntlet of difficult conference road trips. Folsom Field remains a tough place for anyone — the Colorado Buffaloes will look to prove that 2024 was not an anomaly.
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Meanwhile, Iowa State’s Jack Trice Stadium could prove a difficult chore, along with the pass-happy Cyclones. A journey to Salt Lake City to battle the revamped Utah Utes will also stand in the way as ASU looks for a repeat conference championship-winning performance.
The Sun Devils, with Leavitt holding the reins, need to win just about all of the aforementioned road tilts if they want to make a deep run next season. The Big 12 looks strong, and teams that struggled last season will return with a vengeance.
In such a small sample size, Leavitt showed the nation what he could truly do if given the correct weapons and how he could “pull a rabbit out of his hat.” While nobody is expecting a carbon copy of 2024, the eyes of the college football world are fixed on the Sun Devils and their quarterback. The real key will be how he chooses to respond.
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