Sam Leavitt: Emotions of missing Utah game ‘propelled me to this win’ over Texas Tech

TEMPE — Sam Leavitt’s someone who wears his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see.

You can see it in how he engages with a home crowd after a big run, when he lets out frustration at himself in practice or when he tells you just how good he thinks he is.

The Arizona State quarterback revealed his emotions got the best of him last week as he rode with the team to the Utah game, where some “real football” weather similar to where he grew up in Oregon, made him miss it that much more.

“Missing last week was rough,” Leavitt said postgame. “We’re on the way to the stadium, you know, I got my headphones on and I just started bawling ’cause it’s just a game that I put my everything into and I couldn’t be out there for my guys.

“It was really rough on me, but I tried to do my best for them and then it really just gave extra motivation going into this week. I was sitting in the cold tub room for this game and got those same emotions, you know, kind of helped propel me to this win.”

His helplessness last week was a stark contrast from Saturday, as his play was a big reason ASU upset No. 7 Texas Tech, 26-22.

He threw for 319 yards on 27 of 48 passing, all three of which set new career highs. He also carried the ball eight times for 31 yards excluding sacks, including three first-down pickups.

“That’s Sam,” ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said postgame of Leavitt’s willingness to put his body on the line, even as he’s returning from an injury.

“That dude’s a battler, he’s a competitor, he’s a fighter. He wants to do everything he can to get on that field for his team,” the coach said. “I felt he was ready to play this week, and he played and he fought and he competed and that’s what Sam Leavitt does.”

As he has done so often before, Leavitt answered the bell for ASU in a two-minute drive to take the lead and win. With so many previous drives leaning heavier on the run, this one was up to Leavitt who went 5-for-8 for 61 yards and added a one-yard rush to set up Raleek Brown’s go-ahead score.

“I’ve never been around a guy who just works to try to win football games as much as he does on and off the field,” Dillingham said. “He just does everything he can for this football team and in the biggest moments, he makes the biggest plays.

“It’s ’cause he plays the Clash of the Clans or whatever?”

Leavitt corrects him: “Clash Royale.”

Sam Leavitt’s confidence in center Makua Pule

Arizona State started its third center of the season on Saturday when Makua Pule filled in for Wade Helton, who had just replaced Ben Coleman.

According to Dillingham, Pule getting in the mix was first suggested by Leavitt back in June.

“I remember (Leavitt saying) like, ‘What about Pule? I trust him. I like him at center,'” Dillingham said.

What about Pule, a former walk-on out of Gilbert Highland High School, stood out to Leavitt?

“I think it’s just his demeanor. He’s a lot like Leif (Fautanu) from last year,” the QB said. “I went up to him before the game and I just said, ‘The people up front respect you. You got a command over a group.’

“Just really proud of him. He puts his head down and works every single day, came out and played really well when it mattered.”

Helton was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and probable on all three Big 12 availability reports before being listed as a game-time decision before kickoff.

It is yet to be seen whether Helton will return to center when healthy. He played well at left guard in the win over TCU, so it’s possible he takes Coleman’s spot at left guard while Pule holds down center.

ASU continued to rotate in extra linemen as part of Dillingham’s stated goal of keeping players fresher, with Maki Stewart picking up 12 snaps across both guard spots and Jalen Klemm getting 18 left tackle snaps.

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