ASU QB Sam Leavitt is evolving as a passer

Steady improvement is the story of Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt’s season.

The redshirt freshman has posted his three best games by QBR in the past four games, and his connection with top receiver Jordyn Tyson is part of what’s pushed ASU’s winning streak to five games heading into a Big 12 showdown against BYU on Saturday.

Credit Tyson for leading Power 4 schools with 548 receiving yards since Week 7, too. But the quarterback is coming on strong despite hitting a bump in the road with a rib injury that took him out for most of October.

Just ask ASU’s most famous scrambling gunslinger.

“I really enjoy watching him play,” former ASU quarterback Jake Plummer told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Thursday. “He plays with reckless abandon sometimes that can put himself in harm’s way. But he’s not scared of it, at all. He’s not afraid to take a hit.

“I’m watching him evolve and grow. Earlier in the year he was a little less accurate as he is now, but we’re seeing his accuracy come out. And we’re seeing his ability to not only make some tough, good throws, but you can’t get him down. I mean, he’s quick, he’s wiry, he’s tough, he’s got a burst that is pretty surprising to a lot of these defenders that take a bad angle. I love when he dives forward… it’s those little things that matter. Having a QB who’s back there who’s really, I mean, the word unflappable.”

Leavitt has completed 61% of his passes for 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s rushed for 348 yards and four scores on the ground, too.

The Michigan State transfer won the starting job over former Georgia Tech and Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims after last year’s high-profile freshman, Jaden Rashada, transferred out of the program mid-spring.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham handed Leavitt keys to the starting job because of how he protected the ball in camp. That has translated to games.

But it did take half of the season for Leavitt to begin hitting a stride in the offense. Since Leavitt returned from his chest injury, he’s thrown nine touchdowns without a pick.

What also translated immediately is Leavitt’s command of the offense and the huddle. Dillingham has praised him since the start of the season for his competitiveness and passion that has impacted the rest of the team. Plummer said he saw signs of Leavitt’s leadership standing out dating back to spring practices.

“He was jumping around at practice and hyping up his guys when they made a good play,” Plummer said. “That’s the kind of thing you need. Some people would say, ‘oh, that’s rah-rah.’ That ain’t rah-rah if it’s coming from your heart.”

Jake Plummer sees reason for ASU to extend Kenny Dillingham

It doesn’t matter how ASU’s season ends: Kenny Dillingham’s contract will be a news item, even though he said he’s concerned about his assistant coaches and players being taken care of at the moment.

Arroyo is in the first year at ASU, while Ward received a contract extension after his debut season in 2023 and is under contract through 2026.

Dillingham’s contract keeps him on the job through November 2028 after a self-imposed bowl ban extended his original deal to a year.

Plummer believes that reshaping that contract should already be in the pipeline of thought for the university’s administration.

“I don’t think he’s trying to ascend to become the head coach of the Niners or go on to coach anywhere else,” Plummer said, speaking on Dillingham’s deep ties to the Valley. “What he’s told me and said to me is this is his spot. This is where I wanted to get to. This was his pinnacle place to coach. If that’s the case, you’ve got a guy that wants to be here. …I’d love to give him an opportunity.

“Lock him up, let him stay here. It’s nice to have consistency, it’s nice to have a coach that is going to be there for a while and you know that. “You know he’s not just using ASU to get to Alabama or some other school.”

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