PAYSON, Ariz. — Arizona State kicks off its football season in three weeks and one big question remains: who will be the starting quarterback? Redshirt freshman Sam Leavitt and senior Jeff Sims, both new to the program in 2024, have emerged as the top two candidates for the starting job. While Leavitt has been working with the first-team offensive for the majority of fall camp, head coach Kenny Dillingham doesn’t have a deadline to decide who QB1 will be.
“Sometimes you do want to announce a starter when you don’t know how healthy the situation is from a program standpoint, but I think our program’s healthy. I think our program believes in them both,” Dillingham said. “I think they both work together to bring the best out of each other. So, I don't think it's a situation where we have to name one or don't in a certain time frame, just based off the dynamic and the healthiness of the battle,” Dillingham said.
Dillingham acknowledged that Thursday’s practice was “not a good day for quarterbacks or wide receivers,” noting the accuracy issues and drops. New offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo couldn’t say which quarterback has the edge at this point of fall camp he’s not concerned with players having an off day during this stretch of six consecutive days of practice.
“We've raised the standard around here with that position and we're going to be really critical of them. They've been completing the ball at a really high percentage all camp and to have a day where there's a lull gives us an opportunity as coaches to kind of get after them and continue to keep our foot on it,” Arroyo said. “We have so much work to do on offense, we’re still brand new. We’re in day 10 of a fall camp. There’s some stuff they’re hearing for the first time situationally. We have a high percentage of guys who are new, they’re hearing it for the first time… We’re trying to attack each day and say ‘Hey, go win today.’”
Leavitt and Sims shared their thoughts on the quarterback competition following Friday’s practice.
Leavitt on what could be the determining factor in deciding who the starter will be: “I'd say consistency and taking care of the ball. Making the right decision, and you know, you got to make plays as well. Just being consistent and carrying your team and being the quarterback that the team needs.”
Sims on his mindset knowing the starting job is open: “Just trying to be the same person every day. You know, stack days, be consistent and really just try to compete against myself. Just get better every day. Any mistake that I make, just to learn from it and not make it too big. Just go out there and be myself.”
Fans can get their first look at both quarterbacks in action during Saturday morning’s scrimmage, beginning at 9 a.m. at Camp Tontozona.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.