Arizona State pulled off one of the wildest turnarounds in college football, going from 3-9 to a Big 12 title in a single season. Kenny Dillingham completely transformed the team’s culture, leveraged experience, and unleashed Sam Leavitt’s playmaking abilities. But here’s the kicker: Dillingham isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s emphasizing “calculated aggression,” and encouraging his quarterback to find the balance between risk and reward without sacrificing his competitive edge. It’s a bold strategy, and the big question now is: can Arizona State maintain its momentum, or was last year lightning in a bottle?

Last season, ASU’s defense couldn’t minimize explosive plays and push other quarterbacks to choose shorter passes to keep their offenses unsettled. But this season, it’s becoming their strength. “Arizona State was 88th in sacks per game last year. They still won the Big 12. It was a reason I thought they may not win the Big 12, but they still won the Big 12. I expect a big upgrade there,” Josh Pate said on his college football show. ASU’s defense has 10 of 11 starters back, including 14 of 17 players with 200+ snaps.

Arizona State’s defense dominated fall camp yet again, overpowering the offense in Saturday’s scrimmage. For the second week in a row, defensive ends Clayton Smith and Justin Wodtly were constantly in the backfield, forcing quarterback Sam Leavitt to scramble, while tackles C.J. Fite and Jacob Rich Kongaika shut down running lanes up front. That’s exactly what Josh Pate’s highlighting: “Here’s the trade-off. They’ve gotten after Sam Leavitt in practice a little bit. So, there’s this fine line you want to walk as a returning starting quarterback, especially one that’s losing his starting tailback.”

Look, Sam Leavitt’s ascent has been both rapid and impactful. This past season, he passed for 2,885 yards, completing 61.7% of his throws, with 24 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. His 81.6 QB rating sparked Heisman buzz and cemented his status as a potential first-round pick. He even landed a spot on the All-America First Team with Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, one of only two QBs chosen.

So, to keep Leavitt on this path, Kenny Dillingham is emphasizing what he terms “calculated aggression,” saying, “I want to be aggressive, but I also want to be smart. So, there’s calculated aggression. I don’t know that Kenny’s been using that exact phrase, ‘calculated aggression.’ And it sounds like they’re still trying to dial that in a little bit.”

Although the defense is finding its groove with experienced players, the offensive line is still being worked out. Dillingham is making the center and guard positions a competition, with Wade Helton, a redshirt freshman, and Ben Coleman, a graduate senior, sharing snaps at center. Coleman, who has proven himself at left guard, might move between the two positions depending on how things go in camp. Josh Atkins, Kyle Scott, and Max Iheanachor are secure in their positions, providing stability on the line’s edges.

But without Cam Skattebo, will their team be the same??

Kenny Dillingham’s team gets backing

The loss of Cam Skattebo is a significant setback for Arizona State. His singular dominance forced defenses to key on him. Skattebo was the only college player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to exceed 1,700 rushing and 500 receiving yards in a season. He was also the only player in 2024 with over 1,000 rushing and 600 receiving yards. He commanded attention on every play, but now the focus shifts—his departure isn’t the biggest issue facing the Sun Devils as they look ahead to 2025.

Kenny Dillingham’s team’s biggest question mark was their backfield, but it looks like that’s not the concern anymore. “Now there’s a whole lot being made of Cam Skattebo not being there anymore. I don’t think this is a bold statement, but I think people who don’t follow Arizona State will think it’s a bold statement. They’re going to be fine at the tailback. I don’t have a big concern about them at the tailback. I think the personnel is good. They don’t have a Cam Skattebo, but they got multiple guys they can rely on,” Josh Pate highlights.

Sam Leavitt enters his second year as the starting quarterback, but he won’t be relying on just one running back to fuel Arizona State’s offense. Instead, Kyson Brown, Kanye Udoh, and Raleek Brown are ready to share the primary workload, forming a dynamic and adaptable backfield rotation.

And they already have a leader stepping up. That’s Udoh, who offers explosive potential, having amassed 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns at Army last season while averaging an impressive 6.2 yards per carry and contributing to a 12-2 season. Replacing Cam Skattebo’s established connection with Leavitt seems challenging, but Leavitt is already demonstrating trust in Udoh and the entire backfield. “You know, I’m just really proud of the group so far and … excited to see what they can do,” he said.

Now, let’s wait and see if that’s really the case this year.