Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt Praises Kenny Dillingham's Mentality

Arizona State football is once again one of the epicenters of the college football world following an 11-win 2024 season that backed up three-win campaigns in the two previous years.

Kenny Dillingham deserves no shortage of credit for the equally drastic and prompt rebuild, as many believed that it would take many years to receive the opportunity to build Arizona State back into a quality program.

Admittedly, the NCAA violations were not as restrictive as had been anticipated, but Dillingham still had ample work cut out for him - including building a coaching staff, assembling a roster that fit well together, and pushing to re-engage a fanbase that had largely been turned away by recent developments.

Star quarterback Sam Leavitt joined USA Today's 'Sports Seriously' show earlier in the week to discuss a wide range of topics - among those is the special coach that Dillingham is.

"I mean, coach Dillingham wants to build a legacy here. He wants to become the next blue blood. Clemson did it in the early 2010's, Oregon did too. So he is like, 'why not us next?' That's kind of his vision. And then just me and his relationship has grown so much. That's my guy. I'll go to bat any time just because of his passion for the game and then his genuineness for me and every other player on the team. So he's a special coach and not going to ask me in a better situation."

Dillingham's track record as a collegiate coach is nearly unmatched, as he played a key hand in developing Brady White at Memphis, Bo Nix at both Auburn/Oregon, and Jordan Travis at Florida State - the track record has carried over to Tempe.

Dillingham is also partaking in what is his undoubted passion project - the Arizona native and 2012 graduate of the university wants to build something truly special in the Phoenix area that is also sustainable long-term.

Lastly, Dillingham's ability to connect with virtually anyone is unmatched - the third-year head coach is able to retain a large volume of starting players and assistant coaches for a reason.

Read more about five underrated Arizona State draft prospects here, and on freshman TE AJ Ia's quest to receive snaps in 2025 here.

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