Some critics look at the 2025 Arizona State football team and poke holes at various perceived weaknesses.

How will the running back room respond to Cam Skattebo going pro? Can the wide receiver room truly improve following an influx of talent via the transfer portal? Did the roster from last year reach their ceiling?

Despite all of the potential questions, it seems nearly unanimous that the program can feel great about the quarterback group in Kenny Dillingham’s third season on the job.

A brief rundown of the major players on the roster this season:

There isn’t much else to say that hasn’t already been about the redshirt sophomore.

Leavitt’s 29 total touchdowns and over 3,200 yards of total offense was just a glimpse of what is to come – many within the college football world believe the former Michigan State signal caller is bound to find himself in the thick of the Heisman Trophy conversation this season.

Expect the Sun Devils to be in great hands – as long as Leavitt stays healthy.

Sims has struggled some during his college career – including in his lone start for the Sun Devils in 2024 against Cincinnati.

However, the Sun Devils could do far worse when it comes to a backup option.

Sims is athletic, astute, and has comfortability within the system now – while the goal is for Leavitt to play every game this season, Sims could be better positioned to step up for a game if needed behind more surrounding talent.

Dyer is a four star athlete recruit out of New Mexico – the talented 2025 recruit likely won’t factor into the team this season, but he could compete for the starting QB job next year if it was to open up.

Dyer accounted for 46 passing touchdowns and just 15 interceptions over his two seasons as the starting quarterback for La Cueva high school – he now brings an impressive high school career to Tempe.

Until then, Dyer will learn under Leavitt, Sims, Dillingham, and OC Marcus Arroyo.

Michael “Butter” Tollefson is worthy of mention as well – the quarterback transferred to Mountain Pointe high school in Phoenix ahead of the 2024-25 school year and could project to be a high-upside option for Kenny Dillingham.

Please let us know your thoughts on how the quarterback room currently stands when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

MESA, Ariz. – Arizona was founded on the five Cs: copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate.

As time has moved on, citrus has fallen off, but the city of Mesa is trying to preserve that part of our agricultural history.

What we know:

More than 200 acres are tucked away in the city of Mesa at Gene Autry Park.

“These are one of the last bastions here of citrus here in the East Valley,” Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman said. “Ironically, this area is one of the last city of Mesa-owned orchards. We’re here at Gene Autry Park. These trees are well over 90 years old.”

The land these oranges are grown on can’t be used for much else.

“We’ve created a safety zone for the aircraft flying back and forth through Falcon Field, and so this area will always be predominantly citrus,” Mayor Freeman said.

So citrus it will remain – beautiful, a great smell when they bloom – but also a history lesson growing right in front of our eyes that started in the 1910s.

“These orchards were established and, remember, there was nothing out here and this citrus here, it was sent all over the world because, predominantly, the competition was between California, Arizona and Florida,” Mayor Freeman explained.

Dig deeper:

Over the years, as Mesa’s population has exploded, orange groves have become more and more rare.

“The land has become more valuable for development, so the landowners that own their land in citrus today are selling to developers for building homes or other things,” Mayor Freeman said.

But, these Valencia oranges will remain.

Once they’re ready, they’ll be sold and shipped to Yuma where they’ll be squeezed for fresh orange juice. 

That’s the way it will be, because these trees will grow just like the city of Mesa, and they aren’t going anywhere.

“The protection of our agriculture is so important and Mesa stands ready to preserve that,” Mayor Freeman said.

Map of where Gene Autry Park is:

What you can do:

Click here to learn more about Arizona’s 5 Cs.

Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Mason White hit three of Arizona’s program-record eight home runs and the No. 2 seed Wildcats beat fourth-seeded Utah Valley 14-4 on Saturday night at the Eugene Regional.

Arizona (41-18) can clinch a berth in the super regionals with a win Sunday against the winner of an elimination game between Utah Valley, which beat host and No. 12 national seed Oregon 6-5 on Friday and No. 3 seed Cal Poly — which eliminated the Ducks with a 10-8 win earlier Saturday. Both the Wolverines and the Mustangs would have to beat the Arizona twice to win the double-elimination regional.

Tommy Splaine, Brendan Summerhill, Garen Caulfield, Aaron Walton and Adonys Guzman also hit home runs for the Wildcats.

Casey Hintz (7-4) pitched three no-hit innings of relief and Michael Hilker Jr. allowed a hit with seven strikeouts over three scoreless innings for his first save of the season. Starter Raul Garayzar lasted just three innings and gave up four runs, three earned.

White hit a two-run home run off starter Colton Kennedy (5-5) in the first inning and the Wildcats never trailed.

Mason Strong and Dominic Longo II each hit and RBI single in the first, and CJ Colyer and DJ Massey had run-scoring groundouts in the fourth for Utah Valley (33-28).

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports