Wednesday, April 16, marks the opening of the college football spring transfer portal. Tennessee star quarterback Nico Iamaleava is the biggest name thus far to look for another team this month after a reportedly NIL dispute with the team. Consequently, there have been rumblings that the Vols will target ASU signal caller Sam Leavitt as a replacement. For now, this is just a speculation, but could we see other Arizona State players explore another option?
The team's vibe suggests that the most prominent players are seemingly content to stay put. Stars like junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and Leavitt reportedly signed new NIL deals in the offseason, and every newcomer and returner has had nothing but positive things to say about the team's state and energy heading into the season.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham, the team's culture-setter, echoed these same sentiments.
“I’m not really worried, to be honest with you,” Dillingham said. “If somebody wants to leave, we’ll help them; if nobody wants to leave, great… If they want to leave, I want them to leave. This isn’t a hostage situation here. That’s why we let (the media) out at practice, that’s why we post tapes, and that’s why people write articles on who’s doing well and who’s doing badly, because I don’t care. I truly want people who want to be here. I think there are enough good players who would want to be here.”
Coming off the season ASU did, not only the success they saw but also the in-house culture that Dillingham established in short order breeds a lot of belief in his statement. Direct results lie in their recent acquisition of recruits, as the Sun Devils currently hold the second-highest-ranked recruiting class in the Big 12 for the class of 2026 and a top 20 ranking nationally. In previous years, ASU's classes were in the middle of the pack, whether it was their last year in the Pac-12 or their first year in the Big 12. The Sun Devils' talent evaluation capabilities have not only helped them secure the services of high school and junior college players but also acquire talent from the transfer portal.
And that portal, which will close on April 26, is more than just an avenue for departure since ASU can still obtain extra pieces to complete his roster and address its needs, as the staff constantly evaluates his collection of players. Although a large number of acquisitions appear unlikely, as ASU kept approximately 80% of their starting unit from last year's college football playoff squad, gaps are still expected to be filled over the next few weeks.
“If somebody changes the game for us, and we feel like he fits our culture, then we’ll bring him in,” Dillingham remarked. “There’s not a specific; our whole goal was to get our team in place by right now so we could build culture and community, and I think for the most part we have that.”
Dillingham stated that if he had to choose one position of need, "veteran (long) snappers" would be it. It is not the most talked about role in spring, but it is an essential one.
A larger topic to consider, according to Dillingham, than the portal opening up is the House vs. NCAA lawsuit currently in the process of being litigated. This settlement has serious consequences for the college football world. If the settlement is approved, football's scholarship limit will jump from 85 to a roster limit of 105, although some programs can choose a limit lower than 105, potentially adding 20 additional scholarships for schools willing to provide the maximum, allowing walk-ons more financial support and schools more flexibility.
However, scholarship caps would be replaced by roster constraints. Regardless of scholarship status, this would restrict the overall number of players on a team. Football, for instance, may increase a roster ceiling to 105 roster spots, whether or not scholarships are awarded for each and every player choosing to keep a number of walk-ons on the roster.
Currently, the Sun Devils will still be forced to have the same difficult conversations they do at the end of every spring practice, suggesting certain players that they may be better served for their careers by joining other programs. Now, a new scholarship limit could make those discussions not limited only to scholarship players.
“That House case and some of the guys, the roster number is something that I hope gets resolved,” Dillingham noted. “Soon enough, where we can give these guys good advice, not just at our school but across the country.”
“Having to tell a kid ‘you’re not on the team’ because other people have decided that you can’t come here for free, that’s not fun… Hopefully, they do phase in those guys just so they have the ability to play college football and to be a part of the team and be a part of a community, but if they don’t, then tough conversations have to happen, and that's unfortunate.”
For the time being, Dillingham, Leavitt, and the rest of the ASU football squad are focused on the task at hand. They can’t control a court verdict, but they can focus on how this team prepares for the fall. Leavitt is making sure he holds himself to a higher standard this season so that the Sun Devils can exceed the impressive accomplishments of 2024.
“I have to make every single play go,” Leavitt said. “If guys aren’t lined up, it's on me. I have to be the most mentally, physically, and emotionally tough player on the field.”
Leavitt is the pinnacle of a player that meets Dillingham's cultural criteria; having a player who holds himself to such a high standard that he not only improves his play but also puts every single teammate in a position to succeed around him is what creates champions.
The second-year Sun Devil has recently become more competitive in that regard, ensuring that he is revving up over the home stretch of spring practices.
“I kind of tried to tailor it off from the start of spring ball because we hadn’t played ball in so long and people are still getting their feet wet,” Leavitt said. “Now I’m starting to get on people’s heads more; we have to really start clicking, and I have to demand more out of myself and more out of them, but they’re taking it really well, and people are starting to step up when I bring some juice, which is what we need to see.”
Leavitt's ability to energize the team and help players take that next step has become increasingly evident, and some of the respondents have made their mark as a result. Leavitt noted that one player who has "stepped up" is redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaren Hamilton. The Alabama transfer grabbed two touchdowns during Saturday's scrimmage, including a deep crossing route that was one of the spring's top plays.
With so much talk around each individual wideout, Dillingham did admit today that ASU "needs a second option" at wide receiver to complement primary aerial target Jordyn Tyson. Senior wide receiver Malik McClain is undoubtedly one player who would like to be considered for that role. He redshirted after his arrival from Penn State, and in limited snaps in the postseason, he showed promise and followed that up with a fairly good spring.
The coaches strive to create as much competition as possible and keep the door open for potential additions to enhance that aspect. Hamilton, for example, may lack experience right now, but if he continues to catch deep balls for touchdowns on a regular basis, he just may be that No. 2 wideout the Sun Devils are seeking to emerge.
“It’s no secret Tyson is our number one option,” Dillingham explained. “We need somebody else to step up and say, ‘If you’re going to double-team (Tyson), somebody’s got to be able to run an option route, somebody’s got to be able to take the top off of a defense… You’ve got to have somebody else that if teams bracket Tyson, they go, ‘Dang, what about this guy?’ And you can have two guys that are good as well, but having one dude that week in formation is really what you’re looking for.”
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