Sam Leavitt keeps a list in his room. At the top sit the names of quarterbacks he wants to beat. His ultimate goal is written in bold letters at the bottom: “2025 Heisman.”
The Arizona State quarterback isn’t just dreaming about college football’s most prestigious individual award. He’s plotting his path to claim it.
What Drives Sam Leavitt’s Bold Heisman Declaration?
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt isn’t hiding his intentions for the 2025 season. His goal is bold: win the Heisman Trophy and surpass the top names in college football.
Entering his second year with head coach Kenny Dillingham, his focus is sharp and his motivation crystal clear.
Three specific plays from the 2024 College Football Playoff loss to Texas replay in his head daily, fueling his offseason drive. The defeat gnaws at him, serving as a daily motivator. But the pursuit isn’t only about redemption from that painful loss. It’s deeply personal.
During an appearance on the Jim Rome Show, Leavitt revealed the list he keeps visible in his room and the names that push him every day.
“I’ve got a list of names of people I want to out-perform and out-train and out-play. At the bottom it just says ‘2025 Heisman.'”@ASUFootball QB @S_leav10 on his goals going into the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/v4bwEk6oO7
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) July 15, 2025
“I got a list of names of people who just, you know, I want to outperform and outtrain and outplay. And then at the bottom, it just says 2025 Heisman.”
This mindset dates back to high school, when a family mantra stuck with him and continues to shape his approach today. “How great do you want to be?” That phrase is boldly written in his room, etched into a closet surface he writes on every day.
“It was a question to ask yourself how great you want to be because it’s not just doing the activity,” Leavitt said. “We like to say, you know, people are going to get 1 percent better. I’m gonna get 2 percent better.”
How Does Leavitt’s Track Record Support His Heisman Ambitions?
The Michigan State transfer delivered a breakout freshman campaign in 2024, throwing for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He also added 443 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. Those numbers helped lead Arizona State to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff berth.
Sam Leavitt Highlights vs. Kansas⬇️#Big12FB | #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/90XJ6ET8id
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) October 6, 2024
Leavitt completed 61.7% of his passes and earned Big 12 Freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors. His standout season also earned him USA TODAY Sports Network’s preseason Big 12 Player of the Year honor heading into 2025.
The recognition extends beyond individual awards. According to CBS Sports, Leavitt enters the new season as the Big 12’s top player and “it’s not particularly close.”
Despite the accolades, Leavitt’s Heisman odds sit at +3100 on FanDuel. However, numbers don’t faze him.
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“I just have a weird belief in myself,” he said. “People might say it’s cockiness or whatnot, but it’s just the confidence from the work that I put in.”
The expectations are high, and Leavitt has embraced them fully. He doesn’t hide from the spotlight or those he aims to surpass. His goals extend beyond individual recognition.
“I have the national championship and the 2025 Heisman as my goals,” Leavitt told On3. “It’s how I viewed myself since day one… so it’s never been a question mark from my belief system. It’s just been, ‘When is everybody else going to buy in and understand?”
The offseason has only deepened his commitment to those lofty goals. With the taste of playoff defeat still fresh and a list of rivals to conquer, Leavitt enters 2025 with the kind of focused intensity that separates good quarterbacks from great ones.
