Kenny Dillingham makes the case for Sam Leavitt to be listed as a top quarterback in college football

Transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt burst onto the college football national scene last season. He led Arizona State to a Big 12 Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff as a redshirt freshman.

Leavitt, who spent his first season at Michigan State before heading to Arizona State, threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns (six interceptions) last season. Aided by Heisman finalist running back Cam Skattebo, the Sun Devils made a run to the College Football Playoff, where they fell to Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

The hype remains around Leavitt entering this season. Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham made the case for Leavitt to be listed as a top quarterback in college football on the June 18 edition of the “College Gameday Podcast.”

“He’s a competitor and he makes plays that we don’t call the play for,” Dillingham said. “I think any time that your quarterback makes you look good, you’ve got a chance. So not only can he make plays when we don’t call a good call, when somebody gets beat, he extends the plays. He can make the rhythm play too. Leavitt can make the play in rhythm, or he can go and scramble like the end of the Texas game, even though we didn’t get it done on a huge 3rd & 15 in overtime. He goes and scrambles reminiscent of Jake Plummer.”

Dillingham claims he wouldn’t trade Leavitt for anyone in the country

College GameDay’s Pete Thamel tabbed Leavitt as his No. 4-ranked quarterback heading into the season. ESPN’s Rece Davis left Leavitt out of the top five in favor of Louisville’s Miller Moss and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. Dillingham, though, continued to boast about his quarterback.

“Then, he works like a champion,” Dillingham said. “Everyone sees him work like a champion and prepare like a champion. I’ve been blessed to coach my last three quarterbacks in particular were really, really good guys that were competing for the Heisman. He’s as every bit as good. Every bit as good as those two guys. He is 1000% on of the top quarterbacks and I wouldn’t trade him for any quarterback in the country.”

Although Leavitt lost Skattebo in the backfield, he returns his No. 1 receiver in Jordyn Tyson. If he can be even better than he was last season, the Sun Devils could be one of the favorites to win the National Championship. An anonymous Big 12 coach spoke highly of Leavitt in Athlon Sports’ 2025 College Football Preview.

“[Sam] Leavitt’s the man now, and they’re going to ask more of him.”

Arizona State opens the 2025 season on August 30 against Northern Arizona.