Kenny Dillingham ‘feels really good’ about QB Sam Leavitt despite missed throws

TEMPE — Kenny Dillingham reiterated his confidence in Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt on Monday after the redshirt freshman struggled in his second start.

Leavitt completed 50% of his passes en route to 69 passing yards in a 30-23 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, a statline that resembled ASU’s limited quarterback play from a year ago.

“He’s through two games, he has no (turnovers), we have very limited procedure penalties, he’s getting us into good calls, converted/extended three different third downs with his legs,” Dillingham said. “Then he missed a couple throws.

“I can sleep really well at night if our quarterback is just missing a few throws. I can’t sleep if he’s throwing to the wrong person, if he’s turning the football over, if he’s panicking when guys are aligned wrong or when the running back goes the wrong way … he doesn’t do any of that.”

ASU didn’t need success through the air to amass a 30-3 lead early in the second half, as running back Cam Skattebo earned national player of the week honors for his 262-yard explosion.

Dillingham said his insistence to feed Skattebo took Leavitt out of rhythm, although a 1-for-5 first quarter after connecting on the first two attempts suggests the quarterback never had his rhythm to begin with.

“I did a bad job,” Dillingham said postgame. “I’m over there telling coach Arroyo, ‘Keep running it, they can’t stop it,’ and that’s the head coach side of me. But I’m forgetting that I ruined everything with the quarterback’s rhythm. That was a bad job by me, I should’ve just let him kinda go with the flow and let him call the game how he was calling it.”

Leavitt helped out with the ground game with nearly as many rushing yards (68) as passing yards (69). He also ran for two touchdowns.

Sam Leavitt looking for deep throws to translate from practice to games

So far this season, Leavitt has not connected on a downfield throw despite available opportunities, but the quarterback said it’s a matter of time before the Sun Devils start connecting in-game.

“Just rep ’em in practice. I feel like we were super close to a couple of them, should’ve had them but I don’t think it’s much more than that,” Leavitt said postgame. “Couple pregame jitters and I just had a little too much juice, so I feel like we’re gonna come back and really start connecting on those.”

Leavitt had Jordyn Tyson deep for a would-be touchdown on ASU’s first drive, but the throw was just in front of the receiver.

Tyson, who later made blocks that opened up Skattebo’s game-sealing run, is one of the receivers Leavitt has shown great downfield chemistry with in practice, along with Jake Smith and Malik McClain.

“That’s what gives me great confidence is he’s missing throws that he makes routinely in practice in his second start with no rhythm,” Dillingham said Monday.