Tuesday marked the first of 15 spring practices for Arizona State football. The reigning Big 12 champions took the field with nearly 80% of their roster returning from an unforgettable 2024 campaign. The players took the field for business as usual, but head coach Kenny Dillingham had a surprise that quickly turned into a planned annoyance for his team.
Over the speakers, the Grammy Hall of Fame song We Are the Champions by Queen, released in 1977, played on repeat for nearly the entire duration of practice. For the players, the song was an amusing touch that quickly became an unwanted addition, according to redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt.
“It was fun for the moment,” Leavitt said. “But I don't want to hear that anymore. I'm going to go tell them to turn it off because we're not champions anymore. It's a new season.”
That mindset is seemingly exactly what Dillingham was hoping to instill in his team Tuesday, as the goal for the program must quickly shift to putting last season’s success in the rearview.
“[Assistant running backs coach] Trenton Bourguet sent me a clip the other day: ‘A sailboat doesn't sail on yesterday's wind,’” Dillingham said. “There's not a better quote for this year than that.
“I want it to become monotonous. Like, who gives a crap? You’re going to be told so many good things forever. You better get to the point where it becomes monotonous to you—where it’s irrelevant, where nobody cares.”
Dillingham’s message is not to downplay the accomplishments of last season’s historic run through the Big 12 and into the College Football Playoff. However, resetting the standards for the new year will be pivotal in keeping everyone on their toes.
“We're going to handle success fine, but how are we going to handle this year when we get punched in the face?” Dillingham said. “Because nobody's punched us in the face. Nobody's talking about punches in the face. They're just giving us our roses. So, we’ve got to be ready to get hit in the face this year. Not the handling success part—we’ll be fine there.”
Much of this year’s hype is centered around Leavitt and his breakout 2024 campaign. He threw for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions, and with three years of eligibility left, he’s one of the nation's most exciting young quarterback prospects. In January, On3.com named Leavitt the No. 1 returning quarterback in college football ahead of the 2025 season. Dealing with lofty expectations is a new task on the 20-year-old’s plate.
“It's good to have that,” Leavitt said. “To show all the work that you put in really means something. It doesn't change my opinion on the game and the work you've got to put in. If anything, it just means I've got to hold myself to a higher standard. And that's how it's going to be every single year—just finding ways to bring everybody with you. Last year, it was more so just me trying to make myself better every single day. Now, I've got to bring an entire unit with me.”
For Dillingham, the change he’s most excited to see in his starting quarterback starts with leadership and comfort within the offense. Without the help of fourth-place Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Skattebo and with seven new wide receivers in the room, the offense has many unanswered questions. Leavitt will be an integral part of helping those pieces come together early on.
“I would say just his confidence to go out there and lead has grown,” Dillingham said. “His confidence to go teach the other guys or explain to the other guys what he's looking for and the type of ball he wants to throw.
“Our leaders, our best players, are the wind of our program. They're the guys that are going to push this boat, and everybody else is just going to be on the boat and go with it.”
Leavitt’s preparation for his new role began in the offseason, with a focus on added strength training, improving his mechanics, and watching more tape from 2024 to improve going forward. Nearly three months away removed from the Peach Bowl playoff game allowed him to return with a revitalized mentality and put the heartbreak of the College Football Playoff behind him.
“Understanding what took a toll on my body and starting off with some eccentric stuff and getting stronger in the process,” Leavitt said. “Then constantly working on mobility and getting my core better.
“After my rib injury, I'm not going to let that happen again. And just working with new guys and figuring out what's going to take me to the next level. Then, in the film room, just figuring out what I can do to take our team to a new level with this different dynamic.”
Dillingham has noticed a similar offseason approach across the roster, with many players focusing on building muscle mass and sharpening their game, particularly from the young core of freshman and sophomores who’ve yet to make a name for themselves on Saturdays.
“You talk about [redshirt freshman] Rodney Bimage Jr. in the DB room, [redshirt freshman] Tony-Louis Nkuba has gained 20 pounds. [Redshirt freshman] Chris Johnson has gained 18 pounds,” Dillingham noted. “Sophomore Martell Hughes has gained 20 pounds since he's been here. [Redshirt freshman] Terrell Kim has lost about 45 pounds in a good way since he's been here.”
With just 15 practices in March and April leading up to the Fan Fest event on April 25 at Mountain America Stadium, the team must maximize its reps most efficiently over the next five weeks. For Dillingham, working up to that game will heighten the anticipation for the upcoming season and better showcase the younger players on the roster.
“We're going to be competing,” Dillingham said of the concluding session of spring practice. “I like to see some of the guys who aren't used to playing under the lights go out there, compete, and communicate in more of a game-like setting.”
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