Sam Leavitt Displays Heart of Champion in Arizona State Win

TEMPE -- Sam Leavitt has become synonymous with the culture that has been built at Arizona State under the leadership of Kenny Dillingham.

The starting quarterback of the program since 2024 is now 11-1 in Big 12 games in his career following a gutsy 26-22 victory over the #7 Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The background is well-known at this point - the redshirt sophomore injured his foot at some point during the win over Baylor on September 20, pushing through everything in the meeting with Texas Christian less than a week ago. His foot progressed well during the off week, then worsened again leading up to the battle with the Utah Utes - which resulted in the 20-year old being ruled out.

The Sun Devils lost the game 42-10, making the Texas Tech game all the more crucial - Leavitt improved as the week went on, played, and won the game - ASU on SI explores what he did to will the team to a win beyond what was seen at the surface level.

Breaking Down Leavitt's Performance

Leavitt had what was perhaps his best showing from inside the pocket all season - head coach Kenny Dillingham had previously stated that the former four-star recruit had improved every week of the season in-structure despite being elite once a play breaks down.

Sep 26, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) looks to pass against TCU Horned Frogs in the second half at Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images | Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images

Part of the impressive game from the pocket was the greatly improved anticipation that was displayed. Leavitt perfectly telegraphed the pair of 40-plus yard tosses to Jaren Hamilton and placed the ball where only the speedster could grab it. The connection with Jordyn Tyson certainly didn't hurt either - as it opened up more reads elsewhere on the field.

Perhaps the most impressive piece of Leavitt's performance was the two key scrambles he made that kept drives going for the Sun Devils - Dillingham once again praised his quarterback for going into the game with a mindset that very few consistently hold

"You know, that's what people think a competitor like that does. It's disgusting. The dude's a battler. He's a competitor, he's a fighter. He wants to do everything he can to get on that field first team. He was ready to play this week. I felt he was ready to play this week. And he played and he fought and he competed, and that's what Sam Levitt does."

The next opportunity to see Leavitt in action is this coming Saturday, when the 24th-ranked Sun Devils take on the 6-1 Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on three major takeaways from the win over Texas Tech here.

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