Arizona
Sam Leavitt's work ethic showing for Arizona State football
TEMPE — Sam Leavitt is coming off maybe his best game as the signal caller for Arizona State football, culminating with a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of a win over Kansas on Saturday.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham said that’s not by accident, rather it came after Leavitt’s best week of prep.
“That kid’s put in so much work. … He was really clean. Us being able to show him all the looks two weeks in a row I think really helped him,” Dillingham said Monday. “Then he went out there and he performed. He would’ve even had a better game (if not for some drops).
“The fact that he was poised at the end of the game was, kudos to him. That moment right there is just natural, there’s no fake about it.”
Leavitt connected on 14-of-24 passes for 157 yards, giving him 1,012 passing yards on the season. His four passing touchdowns were the most by an ASU quarterback since Joey Yellen had four in a loss to USC in 2019.
His lone interception came off a double-tip by Sun Devil receivers Jordyn Tyson and Xavier Guillory which kept the quarterback’s turnover-worthy play tally at one on the season, according to PFF. He is tied with eight other FBS quarterbacks (minimum 100 dropbacks) to lead the category.
Leavitt entered the Kansas game 3-for-19 on throws that travel at least 20 yards in the air but was a much more efficient 2-for-4 in the win. Guillory was on the receiving end of the first completion which capped off an opening drive for a touchdown, while Tyson’s first of two fourth-quarter scores represented the other.
Dillingham said a tweak to Leavitt’s footwork over the bye week helped him be more balanced on Saturday and in turn, more accurate on deep balls.
kenny dillingham breaks down the early returns on sam leavitt’s footwork tweak, and his confusion with how sam explained it postgame saturday. pic.twitter.com/Mdt4ItPA9T
— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) October 7, 2024
The quarterback has been the most reliable foil to Cam Skattebo in the ground game. Leavitt’s 257 yards make him the only other Sun Devil with at least 100 rushing yards on the season. Skattebo and Leavitt both average over five yards per carry.
Deep passing and quarterback rushing will be key elements of the game plan for Friday’s matchup with No. 16 Utah to help neutralize a vicious pass rush. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham on Monday told reporters Leavitt is a “true dual-threat” quarterback.
The Utes’ pass rush averaged six pressures over the previous three games. However, they amassed 14 in their most recent game, a loss to Arizona, and 14 in their season-opening win over Southern Utah.
The most pressure ASU has faced this season was Texas State’s 10. The offensive line allowed a season-low two pressures in the win over Kansas.
When pressure has gotten there, Leavitt has shown solid composure. PFF has Leavitt graded as the third-best FBS quarterback under pressure (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks) with a 76.0 score.
He was recognized as the Big 12 newcomer of the week for his performance.
ASU hosts Utah on Friday at 7:30 MST at Mountain America Stadium. Listen to play-by-play coverage on the Arizona Sports app, ESPN 620 AM, 98.7 FM-HD 2 or online.
Arizona
Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona
PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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Arizona
NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Arizona
Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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