TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State, which somehow still has a Playoff pulse, had one of its best practices of the season on a cloudy Wednesday morning in the desert. We know this because every time coach Kenny Dillingham was asked about quarterback Sam Leavitt’s possible transfer, this is where he pivoted.
On recent reports that Leavitt is unlikely to return to the Sun Devils: “We came out with a fire about us this week,” Dillingham said.
On what he tells the team about something like this: “I really don’t listen to the outside noise. I just focus on us and our program and what we’re doing here.”
On if he’s going to comment at all about Leavitt: “I’m focused on Colorado and trying to play our best football game we can possibly play this Saturday. This team still has so much to play for. We’re in the hunt. It’s November. We’re playing meaningful football with two games left.”
Everything Dillingham said is correct. Despite season-long adversity, the No. 25 Sun Devils (7-3, 5-2 in the Big 12) still have a path to the Big 12 championship game. This didn’t seem possible not long ago, especially once Dillingham announced Oct. 31 that Leavitt would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a lingering foot injury.
But more important might be what Dillingham did not say. This week, On3 and The Athletic reported that Leavitt and his reps are pursuing lucrative offers from other schools with intentions to transfer. Whether they are doing so for football reasons or financial reasons — or both — is not known. But Leavitt’s time here might be coming to an end, which serves as another lesson in loyalty for fans in the NIL era.
A master at messaging, Dillingham could have said, “We’re going to do everything we can to keep Sam here.” He did not. He could have said, “Those reports are not true.” He did not.
Asked directly if he expects Leavitt to be back next season, Dillingham said, “Me, personally? I am so focused on Colorado!”
He added that it would not be fair to the team to get distracted. With Leavitt out, backup Jeff Sims has led the Sun Devils to wins over Iowa State and West Virginia.
If he enters the portal, Leavitt would become one of the top prospects on the market. Last season, he was among the country’s rising young quarterbacks, a main factor in Arizona State’s surge to the Big 12 title and College Football Playoff. This season the redshirt sophomore got off to a slow start, then flashed star potential — only to suffer the foot injury.
Jared Leavitt, the quarterback’s father, told The Athletic in a text message that reports that Leavitt has decided to transfer are untrue.
None of this is shocking. It’s how college players, especially quarterbacks, figure out their worth, probing to see what other programs might pay. At Arizona State, Leavitt is believed to have a seven-figure NIL deal, which includes deals with Powerade, PayPal/Venmo, adidas and Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers. He could find better offers. He could ask Arizona State to match.
Athletic director Graham Rossini said during a recent radio spot on the Arizona Sports show “Burns & Gambo” that he did not have concerns or see limitations in regard to Leavitt’s compensation, adding that the school has “been prepared to do whatever it takes to build a great team” and will continue to be.
But this could also be a football decision.
Arizona State’s protection this season has been shaky. In seven games, Leavitt was sacked 19 times. On other occasions, he was forced to escape the pocket, which he does well, but those hits also take a toll. In addition, Leavitt’s top target, preseason All-American Jordyn Tyson, is expected to skip his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. Another situation might position Leavitt better for his jump to pro football.
If Leavitt transfers, it will sting the fan base here for one reason — the bond that Dillingham and Leavitt shared. As the Sun Devils surged last season, they appeared as connected as any head coach and quarterback could be. “He’s going to be the face of Sun Devil football,” Dillingham said of Leavitt last November.
“Everyone wants to talk about me. I suck if I don’t have a quarterback.”
“Oh hi!” ❤️
This interaction between @ASUFootball’s Sam Leavitt and Kenny Dillingham is so wholesome. pic.twitter.com/oDMbtHhjrf
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 19, 2025
Dillingham recently met with top university and athletic leaders and said he left convinced that Arizona State is committed to supporting a strong football program. At Monday’s weekly news conference, Dillingham praised fan support, noting that every home game this season has sold out, but said Arizona State still needs to activate the school’s top donors as well as local businesses.
Parker Jones, general manager at Jones Auto Group, has had NIL deals with 12 Arizona State athletes. Of 11 partnerships with football players, six have transferred. Jones has no regrets. Most of those relationships helped his business. He understands fans expect loyalty, but he also said the vitriolic reaction to the recent Leavitt news is misplaced.
“At the very least, you’re a casual college football fan if you still have an emotional reaction beyond just being bummed because you’re an ASU football fan and you think he’s a good player,” said Jones, who had a partnership with Leavitt last year. “If you still have this negative connotation about what somebody like Sam would elect to do in this situation, I think you don’t understand how quickly the landscape has evolved to this point in seemingly a matter of 20 months.”
Dillingham said Leavitt’s recovery from surgery is going well. He added he still has a great relationship with the quarterback and that all the praise he has heaped upon Leavitt in the past remains true. At the same time, the head coach has often said that if a player doesn’t want to be at Arizona State, he should leave.
“This isn’t a hostage situation,” Dillingham said Monday, referring to any player.
This should sound familiar to Arizona State fans. In 2022, quarterback Jayden Daniels, coming off a disappointing season, announced he would enter the portal. A bulk of the fan base said the Sun Devils would be better off. Daniels transferred to LSU and two seasons later won the Heisman Trophy. It’s a memory that still haunts.