Latest news with #SamLeavitt
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
"He is 1000% on of top quarterbacks": Coach Kenny Dillingham makes bold claim about Arizona's Sam Leavitt
Image Source: Getty Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach, has been outspoken about what QB Sam Leavitt brings to the table, saying 'He is 1000% on of top quarterbacks' due to Sam Leavitt's excellent freshman season. That sort of endorsement makes Sam Leavitt one of the primary names to be on the lookout for during the 2025 college football season. Sam Leavitt's breakout season and college football quarterback stats Arizona State's great pass would be ready for Sam Leavitt. At this point, just transfer from Mich State to throwing 2,885 yards 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions at Mich State transfer Quarterback last season at Arizona State, his accuracy, composure in the pocket, and ability to escape extended plays led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff appearance as Arizona State re-entered the national spotlight. — SammyLev (@SammyLev) L by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo eavitt's success has transcended beyond simply raw stats, as his chemistry with premier pass catchers like receiver Jordyn Tyson, as well as his ability to decipher defenses, has been critical. Even without star running back Cam Skattebo in the picture, expectations for Sam Leavitt and the program's first national-championship run remain high after another eye-opening skill set and leadership performance. Kenny Dillingham's praise and leadership of Sam Leavitt's potential It's not just stats that have Coach Kenny Dillingham raving about Leavitt, in particular his work ethic and competitiveness. Dillingham praised Leavitt as a champion when it comes to work ethic, pointing out his play-making ability, both in rhythm and off schedule, and noting that he scrambles a lot like Jake Plummer did here, while at ASU. This versatility gives opposing defenses yet another dual threat they will have to worry about when facing Leavitt. Also Read: What makes Shrine Bowl experience unforgettable for Bryer Finley and his Seaman teammates Dillingham has played a key role in getting the best out of Leavitt and establishing a winning culture at Arizona State. Dillingham is trying to set the tone back by publicly putting Leavitt on a pedestal as one of the better quarterbacks in the country, which raises the bar for Sam Leavitt and shows the Sun Devils mean business to start the new season with Leavitt commanding their ships. Leavitt is supposed to be the one who brings everyone with him, but his faith and confidence in Leavitt leap across the team. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
National CFB Analyst Touts QB Sam Leavitt as a Favorite to Win the Heisman
National CFB Analyst Touts QB Sam Leavitt as a Favorite to Win the Heisman originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Phil Steele, a national college football analyst, has issued his Top Ten list of favorites to win the most coveted award in the sport, the Heisman Trophy. Advertisement Among his list of favorites is Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, at No. 9 with 30/1 odds. Other players in Steele's Top Ten include: 1 QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson at 10/1 odds 2 QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU at 8/1 3 QB Arch Manning, Texas at 15/1 4 QB DJ Lagway, Florida at 15/1 5 QB Drew Allar, Penn State at 12/1 6 WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State at 12/1 7 QB John Mateer, Oklahoma at 25/1 8 QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina at 18/1 10 QB Behren Morton, Texas Tech at 200/1 Leavitt led the Sun Devils to the Big 12 title a season ago, 11 victories and a berth in the playoffs. Leavitt accounted for 2,800 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. Advertisement This season, Leavitt will operate behind an experienced offensive line and will have a talented weapon on the perimeter in receiver Jordyn Tyson. Leavitt and the Sun Devils have a challenging road schedule that takes them to Baylor, Utah and Iowa State. But 17 starters return for the defending conference champs, as well as the entire coaching staff. Talent, experience and coaching continuity- everything a Heisman contender needs for a successful season and to hoist the most storied award in college football. Related: Sam Leavitt Emerges as Strong Contender for 2025 Heisman Trophy This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Arizona State's Sam Leavitt is exactly where he thought he'd be — everyone else is just catching up
TEMPE, Ariz. — Sam Leavitt recently appeared on 'The Matt Barrie Show,' the third national interview the Arizona State quarterback had done that day. He wore a maroon polo, the top button unfastened. His sandy blonde hair was stylishly messy. Throughout a 20-minute interview, ESPN's Barrie, a popular voice in the college football media-verse and fellow Arizona State product, asked Leavitt about last season's improbable College Football Playoff run and how coach Kenny Dillingham has changed the program. He also innocently described Leavitt as a rising star and a sleeper Heisman Trophy candidate. Advertisement It's a good bet Leavitt noticed. Athletes using slights, real or imagined, storing them for motivation, is nothing new. Leavitt, however, takes this to another level. High school teammate Mark Hamper says the chip on his friend's shoulder is as big as the Eiffel Tower, but it's useful, 'and it's going to take him to some pretty big places.' This fall, with Arizona State projected to contend in the Big 12, the grudge and determination could help make Leavitt a household name. It's how Leavitt has always seen himself, following older brother Dallin Leavitt to the NFL, possibly as a first-round draft pick. The redshirt-sophomore just had to wait for everyone else to catch up. To see what he sees. 'People say I have a shot to win (the Heisman), but I'm not the No. 1 candidate,' Leavitt, 20, had said an hour or so before the Barrie interview, explaining motivation for his second Arizona State season. 'So you really think these other players are going to play better than me this year?' As a reminder, the quarterback keeps a large whiteboard in his bedroom. It's the first thing he sees every morning and the last he sees before bed. The theme — 'How great do you want to be?' — hasn't changed, but Leavitt recently added another element. On the left side, in purple marker, are 10 names, his national quarterback competition. Arch Manning … Cade Klubnik … DJ Lagway … This probably doesn't surprise those who follow Arizona State closely. Leavitt made it clear last year after transferring from Michigan State that the chip on his shoulder wasn't just motivation, but an actual character in his journey. In November, Leavitt said he had looked forward to playing against Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson, who had been ranked higher than Leavitt during the 2023 recruiting cycle; Johnson ninth, Leavitt 18th, per 247 Sports. (Leavitt threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns in a 24-14 Arizona State win.) More memorably, Leavitt told reporters before Arizona State's CFP matchup against Texas and Quinn Ewers that he looked forward to proving he was the better quarterback, an approach he took every game. Given the contest's magnitude — and the fact that Ewers had won 20 games and led the Longhorns to two CFP appearances over two seasons — his comments made headlines. Dallin Leavitt said his brother called and told him he was shocked that everyone else was shocked. 'Like, how do you not think that I'm better than Quinn Ewers?' Dallin recalled Leavitt saying that afternoon. (Leavitt threw for 222 yards but was picked off on the final play of a 39-31 double-overtime loss.) Advertisement Jon Eagle, Leavitt's coach at West Linn High in Oregon, did not hear the exact Ewers exchange, but he got the gist. His reaction: '100 percent Sam.' In 40 years of coaching, Eagle had seldom come across a player with more confidence. And as often is the case, disrespect turns into fuel. Asked about the chip's origins, Leavitt started with a teammate in eighth grade who told him he wasn't the best player on the team. Later, he noticed people's reactions when he said he planned to follow his older brother's path to the NFL. (A 5-foot-10 safety who lacked great speed, Dallin Leavitt wasn't drafted out of Utah State but managed to play six NFL seasons, four with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, two with the Green Bay Packers.) Every year, it was something new. You're not going to play Div. I. You're not going to be a blue-chip prospect. You'll never win a state championship. At West Linn, Leavitt was the No. 2 prospect in Oregon, but his recruitment was slow to pop. Eagle said coaches from the former Pac-12 came to watch Leavitt, but whenever he pressed for reaction, they always provided a lukewarm response. Yeah, we're not sure. He's on our list. We'll see. Eagle didn't understand. Not only did he see the arm talent in Leavitt, he saw a quarterback who processed information quickly. One who could make a mistake on one play and forget it the next. One who led the Lions to a state championship his senior season. 'There's two types of 'A' students,' Eagle said. 'There's the guy who's in the front row with his hand in the air. That's Sam. Then there's a guy in the back row that's scratching his chin, thinking about it. They're both 'A' students, but the guy up front is going to be your quarterback.' Part of this is how Leavitt was raised. His father, Jared, played outside linebacker at BYU, where he was honored as the program's best conditioned and most courageous athlete. Dallin said early football conversations around the house didn't focus on touchdowns but on physicality, as in, 'Are you going to dominate the person across from you?' Dallin's NFL journey showed Leavitt what was possible, but Dallin also credits their mother. The Leavitts grew up watching Tania Leavitt compete in triathlons. If she hiked a mountain with friends, she wanted to be first to the top. Asked about this, Tania said Leavitt comes from a large family, and as the youngest of four, he always had support. It also helped that Leavitt was good at most everything he tried. In addition to football, Leavitt also played on West Linn's nationally ranked basketball team. Then-coach Robert Key said Leavitt could shoot the rock, 'but defensively, he was a dude,' and had he so desired, he probably could have played basketball in college. Advertisement 'Yeah, I'd say pretty much everything he does,' Olivia Price said of her brother's activities. 'He was always really good at school. He, like growing up, would be singing around the house and he had a good voice — not a great voice, but a good voice. He can dance. He's just good at everything he does, and as an older sibling, it's really annoying.' But football was always the priority. Trainer Ryan Paul, who has worked with Leavitt and his brother for years, recalls Leavitt telling him as a high school sophomore that he one day would play in the NFL. (Paul's reaction: 'Well, that's cool, kid. We'll see how it goes.') Key recalls a similar exchange before basketball season. He asked Leavitt about his end result, and Leavitt responded: 'I want to play on Sundays.' 'It's funny,' Tania Leavitt said, 'because I know it comes across as super cocky, but it's kind of this, not a persona, but if you don't feel like you're the best, why go do it?' The difference between confidence and cockiness can be tricky — the former a springboard, the latter a banana peel. Dillingham says the difference is work ethic, and this is an area in which Leavitt excels, always trying to outwork himself from the previous year. Before Arizona State home games, Leavitt meditates in the facility's ice-tub room, where it's easy to get lost in the sound of rushing water. Leavitt used to try and force his thoughts into a certain mindset, but as time passed, he learned to embrace his mood. If he was mad, he let himself be mad. If he was sad, he let himself be sad. 'You're only going to play as comfortable as you feel,' he said. Away from campus, Leavitt works with a sports chiropractor, learning how to stay calm under stress. At home, he meditates in a Solodome chair, which helps promote well-being through sound therapy. Leavitt also journals, not every day, but when he needs to improve at something or make an important decision. Writing it down brings accountability. 'Sam does everything he can do to create an advantage, so if there's anything that somebody's told him that can help him win, he's going to look into it and try to do it,' Dillingham said. 'I think that's what defines Sam. He's going to open every door to try and be the best.' Advertisement In Week 6 last season, in the first half against No. 16 Utah, Leavitt faked a handoff and ran left. After a short gain, Utah linebacker Lander Barton slammed into the quarterback's side, fracturing a rib. Leavitt said it might have been the worst pain he'd ever felt, but it also might have been a blessing. He missed Arizona State's next game, a 24-14 loss at Cincinnati, but returned after the Sun Devils' off week to face Oklahoma State. And he did so with a different mindset. To protect his body, Leavitt changed his game. He thought about protections more. If he escaped pressure, he looked to throw instead of run. He did whatever was necessary to get the ball into the hands of playmakers like Cam Skattebo and Jordyn Tyson. He threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-21 win. Over Arizona State's final five regular-season games, all wins, Leavitt said he felt like he started to dominate mentally. ('I was killing Cover 0 checks,' he said.) He completed 66.7 percent of his attempts for 1,278 yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception. Arizona State, a team picked to finish last in the Big 12, went to Arlington, Texas, to face Iowa State for the conference title and a spot in the CFP. The Sun Devils won, 45-19. Leavitt threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. After the game, Leavitt ran into Dallin. Although 10 years apart, the brothers are best friends. At AT&T Stadium, they celebrated, red-faced, yelling, chest-bumping, hand-slapping, butting heads. Dallin Leavitt saw a video of this as he left the stadium later that afternoon. He thought the moment, pure and raw, offered a glimpse into their relationship, their family and their motivation. 'It was such a cool moment because it felt like — man, excuse my language, but I don't really know how else to say it — but it felt like, 'F— everybody who doubted. I knew we were this. And I'm glad you got to show it,'' Dallin Leavitt said. 'That was the reality of it. That chip is just kind of how we function.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arizona State Unlikely to Return to CFP in 2025, per ESPN FPI
Arizona State Unlikely to Return to CFP in 2025, per ESPN FPI originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Arizona State Sun Devils pulled off one of the most dramatic worst-to-first finishes in recent memory. The Sun Devils went from just three wins in 2023 to 11 victories last season, won the Big 12 title and got in the playoffs. Advertisement This season, the Sun Devils return almost all of their starters from last year's championship squad. Included among those returnees are starting signal-caller Sam Leavitt, pass-catching weapon Jordyn Tyson and 10 talented defenders. In addition, Arizona State suffered zero turnover on its coaching staff. Head coach Kenny Dillingham, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and defensive coordinator Brian Ward are all back this season. Despite all the returning experience and coaching stability, the powers that be at ESPN have ranked the Sun Devils with a Football Power Index (FPI) of 9.8 and a ranking of No. 24, projecting them to win eight games this season. That puts ASU well outside the criteria and threshold to earn a second consecutive CFP berth Advertisement ESPN has stacked the top ten with five SEC and three Big Ten programs. Take the defending national champs, Ohio State, for example. The Buckeyes lost a ton of experience and production to the NFL on both sides of the ball. In addition, Ohio State lost its offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, to the NFL and the Las Vegas Raiders. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has moved on to Happy Valley and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ohio State will start a new quarterback with little to no college game experience. Yet, ESPN ranks the Buckeyes at No. 4 with an FPI of 23.8 and a projected win total of 10 wins. Texas (28.5), Georgia (26.6) and somehow Alabama (24.2) hold the top three spots, respectively. Advertisement The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs both lost their starting quarterbacks from last season and will start new quarterbacks with little to no college game experience. Texas and Georgia are projecting double-digit victories. Alabama projects to win nine games. Of those eight SEC/Big Ten teams, six will start new, inexperienced quarterbacks. Two will start transfer QBs: Carson Beck moves from Georgia to Miami and Joey Aguilar from Appalachian State to Tennessee. Contrast all the above to a team like Clemson. Dabo Swinney's Tigers are essentially a mirror image of Arizona State. Clemson returns 20 starters from last year's Atlantic Coast Conference championship and CFP team. Advertisement Clemson returns QB1 starter Cade Klubnik, their top three receivers and pretty much their entire defense. ESPN ranks Clemson just outside the top ten, at No. 11, with an FPI of 17.3. ESPN is riddled with SEC and Big Ten bias and this is outright disrespect toward the Sun Devils. But that does not bother Dillingham one bit. He prefers his team to be labeled as an underdog or that they could underachieve this season. Dillingham wants his team to be hungry and not buy into the 'hype.' He wants 100 percent effort, to be the best they can be, in every game. With a wry smirk on his face, Dillingham and the Sun Devils have ESPN and college football right where they want them. Related: Kenny Dillingham Details 'Next Step' in Building ASU Football Program This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Two Ohio State football players are among the top 10 Heisman odds for 2025
Two Ohio State football players are among the top 10 Heisman odds for 2025 There's little debate the Heisman Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in all of American sports. It, of course, goes to the college football player annually who is judged and voted to be the best in college football. It can go to any player at any position, but we all know it leans very heavily to offensive players, especially quarterbacks. Ohio State has a record of producing Heisman winners, just one shy of the record eight produced by USC. Running backs and wide receivers used to also be among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy annually, but now that the game is more wide open with signal-callers being a huge part of the offense, that's where most of the awards have gone, and also what the odds seem to favor. For the 2025 season, that hasn't changed. In fact, our friends at BetMGM published a list of best odds to win the Heisman and there are a bunch of quarterbacks on the list. Two of those among the top 10 odds will be wearing Scarlet and Gray this season, and you can probably make a pretty educated guess on who they are. But, hey, why not go through the top 10, including the Ohio State players, and hash out why they are there and what could hold them back. We'll start at No. 10 and work our way down to the player with the best odds at this point. College football odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. No. 10 (tie) - Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +2500 Why he could win the Heisman: Leavitt burst on the scene last season and helped lead the Sun Devils to a College Football Playoff appearance, nearly knocking off Texas to reach the semifinal. Leavitt has sneaky athleticism to keep plays alive, but he is able to stay away from huge mistakes. He elevates those around him, and that's about the best you can say for a player. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Leavitt might not be flashy enough, and there might not be enough weapons around him to put up the numbers necessary to sway many of the voters making the call. Add that to the fact he doesn't play for one of the blue bloods, and it's going to be an uphill climb to be taken seriously. No. 10 (tie) - John Mateer, Oklahoma (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +2500 Why he could win the Heisman: Mateer had a very good season last year for Washington State, but not many outside of the Pacific Northwest took notice. Now he is at Oklahoma, and that means a lot more eyeballs will be watching in a wide-open year. He'll have more options to throw to and will do it with the Oklahoma uniform on. That already puts him in a good spot to enter the season. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Oklahoma hasn't been the same offensively since Lincoln Riley left for USC. The Sooners are thought of as a fringe top-25 team coming into the season, and if that's the case, it'll be hard to impress enough people to get to New York. No. 10 (tie) - Carson Beck, Miami (Fla.) (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +2500 Why he could win the Heisman: Beck was an early favorite to win the Heisman last year and has all the talent to get it done at a place that will allow him to throw the ball around the yard, just as we saw with Cam Ward last year. If he stays healthy and can run the Mario Cristobal offense, he'll be in the front of voters' minds. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Did you see last year? Beck struggled, making far too many mistakes and producing too much inconsistent play while leading Georgia. Do we really think a change in scenery is going to make him a better decision maker? That's going to be tall task to swallow. No. 6 (tie) - DJ Lagway, Florida (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1800 Why he could win the Heisman: Lagway showed what he can do last season. His dual-threat ability and explosiveness made Florida a much-improved team through the tail-end of last year. Now he has another year of seasoning and a full schedule to make an impact, he could turn some heads. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: The Florida program hasn't been able to figure things out since Urban Meyer left, and it doesn't feel like the Gators are at the point where they can give Lagway the exposure and wins needed to keep him in the limelight. Are there enough weapons around him? No. 6 (tie) - Julian Sayin, Ohio State (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1800 Why he could win the Heisman: Sayin was a five-star talent coming out of high school when he committed to Nick Saban and Alabama. He has the arm strength, accuracy and athletic ability to be one of the best signal-callers in an offense that will afford him plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Despite all those God-given abilities, Sayin is still learning the offense and is actually in a quarterback competition to win the starting job. The thought is he'll eventually be named the starter, but it might still take him some time to show what he can do. No. 6 (tie) - Dante Moore, Oregon (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1800 Why he could win the Heisman: Oregon seems to have this transfer to Heisman candidate thing down, and Moore might be the next in line. He showed flashes of what he can be at UCLA, and he'll have more abilities around him in an offense that could churn out Heisman stats. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Is Moore even going to win the starting job? Reports indicate redshirt sophomore Austin Novosad is doing more than holding the clipboard in practice. He's really pushing Moore and if the job turns into a platoon situation, well, it's hard to see how that equates to a Heisman campaign. No. 6 (tie) - LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1800 Why he could win the Heisman: Seller took the college football world by storm last year in a breakout sophomore campaign. He's a true dual-threat quarterback who has size and explosiveness in the running game to go along with a big, accurate arm in the passing game. He should be even better during his junior season and will have every opportunity to make a mark during the SEC campaign. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: South Carolina isn't the name-brand program that will get Sellers noticed like those at other places. The Gamecocks will have to spring a couple of upsets with him putting the team on his back without the national spotlight games that other programs will benefit from. No. 5 - Drew Allar, Penn State (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1400 Why he could win the Heisman: Allar is a seasoned veteran, and he has a firm grasp on the Penn State offense. He has a backfield that should open up the passing game for his big arm and provide ample opportunities to make plays down the field. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: The receiving corps might hold Allar back. It's adequate but not game-breaking, and Allar isn't exactly a dual-threat quarterback. He's also shown a penchant for inconsistency because of poor judgment and mistakes. He'll have to cut down on those. No. 3 (tie) - Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (wide receiver) Heisman Odds | +1000 Why he could win the Heisman: Have you seen Smith play? You could have made a very sound argument that he was the best player in college football last season. He has a rare, generational blend of size, explosiveness, hands and athletic ability to set him apart from others. He'll have a slew of highlight-reel catches and moments again in 2025. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: The best player doesn't always win the Heisman. It's hard for a receiver to win the award because there are games in which a game plan can take players away. Also, Ohio State has other talented playmakers on offense and could spread the ball around just enough to keep his stats from comparing to others with Heisman buzz. No. 3 (tie) - Cade Klubnik, Clemson (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +1000 Why he could win the Heisman: Klubnik turned in a career year last season and led the Tigers to an ACC championship and College Football Playoff. However, his rather pedestrian stat line in a bad loss to Georgia in the season opener buried him behind others. This year, Clemson is expected to be a national player and that'll boost the dual-threat quarterback into the spotlight. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: We could see a repeat of last year because Clemson plays LSU straight out of the gate. There's opportunity there, but a bad showing would again deal a blow to his Heisman campaign before it even starts. There is also a lack of spotlight games in the ACC, which doesn't figure to have the best competition in the country. He'll have to put up gaudy numbers and not have an off week or there will be doubters. No. 2 - Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +850 Why he could win the Heisman: Nussmeier returns as arguably the best quarterback in the country. He has a slew of talent surrounding him, plays in the SEC and should put up the kind of numbers voters will want to see. It doesn't hurt to be the best quarterback in a conference that still gets the benefit of the doubt from media members, if that's what he ends up being. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: For all the talent Nussmeier possesses, the offense has been overhauled. While it looks like there are upgrades through the transfer portal, you never really know how that'll play out. Also, Nussmeier does like to force throws into small windows, resulting in him leading the SEC in interceptions with 12. If he can't cut down on those mistakes, he could be left out in the cold with the Heisman race. No. 1 - Arch Manning, Texas (quarterback) Heisman Odds | +600 Why he could win the Heisman: Let the hype train roll out of the station. College football has been waiting for Manning to take over as a starter in Austin and do many of the things his uncles have done. He has the pedigree, can do things with his arms and legs and will be on a Texas team that should have a bunch of talent and numerous nationally televised games to prove himself. What could keep the Heisman on the shelf: Can Manning really be that good straight out of the box as the new starter? And that schedule that provides opportunity also has pitfalls aplenty throughout. There will not be much time to dip his toe in the water either. A game against defending national champion Ohio State awaits in Week 1. It might be a little unrealistic to believe Manning will just click along without some growing pains that could knock him out of the Heisman race early. [gambcom-standard rankid="5" ] Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
