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Updating Arizona State Quarterback Situation
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) and Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham walk off the field after Texas won 39-31 in double overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1, 2025. Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the first time since 2021 the Arizona State Sun Devils do not have a quarterback controversy.

Kenny Dillingham struck gold in the transfer portal in December of 2023 - when a little-utilized freshman out of Michigan State joined the program.

Now, the ASU football program is ranked 11th in the country heading into the 2025 season - much of this has to do with what has been done at the QB position.

ASU on SI examines the quarterback room at this juncture - including observations of what players at the position have improved at, among other factors.

Sam Leavitt

Leavitt is the face of the program and is likely to be playing on Sundays a year from now.

There isn't always much to improve on when it comes to a tantilizing talent such as Leavitt, but it's been clear that the redshirt sophomore has improved in a myriad of ways - most notably his footwork.

While Leavitt has taken more risks than one would be accustomed to see last season, that is by design according to Dillingham.

Leavitt is going to be trusted at an even higher level in 2025 to push the ball vertically and to push defenses to their limits.

Jeff Sims

Sims has had a mix of high-level moments and head-scratching ones in recent weeks.

The senior quarterback has several positive attributes that make him a suitable backup that can step in when needed - from being an experienced starting player, to being in year two under Marcus Arroyo, to holding an ample amount of mobility.

The Sun Devils could be in a much more precarious position here - Sims is suitable for this spot.

Third-String Situation

The third string battle is one that has raised more questions than answers.

Four-star freshman Cameron Dyer would likely be considered QB3 were he 100% cleared to return from a knee injury - for now it appears to be a duel between freshman Michael "Butter" Tollefson and Christian Hunt.

Hunt has taken the majority of snaps with the third-stringers, but had a fairly rough day at practice on Saturday.

It will be fascinating to see how the depth chart shakes out at the third spot.

Read more on the case for Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.


This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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