TEMPE, Ariz — The absence of former Sun Devil star running back Cam Skattebo became evident Saturday night in No. 11 Arizona State’s 38-19 win over Northern Arizona in its season opener.
Without Skattebo, ASU turned to a committee of junior tailbacks Kyson Brown, Kanye Udoh and redshirt junior Raleek Brown. The trio combined for just 13 carries — a sharp drop from the workload of last season. Additionally, no running back recorded more than 10 attempts.
Instead, an unlikely figure, redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, took on the lion’s share of the rushing game. The Heisman hopeful showcased his mobility with seven carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns, providing the Sun Devils with a much-needed offensive spark.
“I know that I can run, and the biggest thing was just not taking off too predetermined from last year,” Leavitt said. “So I felt like that was one thing, I extended well, while pushing the ball down the field, which is one thing I really want to work on. So I was proud of myself for that.”
Leavitt’s most noteworthy highlight came early in the third quarter, when he broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run, juking defenders and weaving through traffic to give ASU a commanding 24-6 lead.
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“[I’m] not trying to do too much on those plays,” Leavitt said on his ability to make big plays happen with his feet. “Just doing what my coaches taught. [I] saw man coverage, cover one, they had no whole player, so I just took off another post safeties for me, and then made a good play.”
Head coach Kenny Dillingham called the moment a turning point.
“[It’s an] explosive play scored that sound really extended the lead there, and we needed some momentum,” Dillingham said. “So it was absolutely huge, critical. And he’s athletic, so those are the things that you do. You have an athletic dude back there. And like I said, I thought he had a good game.”
Leavitt wasn’t just dangerous on the ground. He controlled the game through the air as well, finishing 25-of-39 for 257 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
His favorite target was, to no one’s surprise, redshirt junior wide receiver Jordan Tyson. The Allen, Texas, native finished the night with 12 receptions and 141 yards and tacked on two touchdowns.
One of the best catches of Tyson’s night came on his second touchdown of the game. With limited visibility of the football, he reached up for an over-the-shoulder catch, managing to hold on in the end zone for a touchdown.
“I was pretty shocked he got that,” Leavitt said. “That was a hell of a catch, probably one of the best catches I’ve seen in a while, so props to him [Tyson] for that.”
The Leavitt-Tyson connection picked up right where it left off late last season, giving ASU one of the most dynamic quarterback-wide receiver duos in the country.
Still, the Sun Devil offense played far from clean. The unit committed multiple delay-of-game and false start penalties, miscues that Leavitt noted in his own postgame assessment.
“I’ll say for myself, I’ll probably give it like a C-plus, maybe a B-minus,” Leavitt said. “For the team overall. I can’t speak on the defense’s behalf, but offensively, I’d say like a B.”
With Week 1 now in the books, the Sun Devils now turn their attention to Starkville, Mississippi, where they’ll face Mississippi State in their first road test of the season. Kickoff is set for 4:30 Arizona time.
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