Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State’s 2024 run was straight fire. An 11-2 record, wrecking teams left and right, and almost snagging Cotton Bowl? Yeah, they were for real. But that double-overtime loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl? That one stung. They were right there, inches away from the semis, but a QB duel between Sam Leavitt and Quinn Ewers turned into one for the books. And Cam Skattebo? That RB had the nation tripping over his stat line. Offensive MVP honors and a 284-yard performance? Legendary. But here’s the thing—Cam’s gone. Off to the NFL to give pro defenses nightmares. And the big question now? Who is gonna fill those monster-sized shoes?

Enter Greg McElroy, the man who isn’t shy about calling it how he sees it. The former Bama QB, now an analyst, hopped on his podcast and didn’t sugarcoat what ASU’s up against in 2025. “According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, so many pieces back (79% of starters) from last year. The one that’s not [coming back] is Cam Skattebo, so that’s the big question—how do you replace one of the most versatile running backs in the country?”

Look, let’s be real. Skattebo wasn’t just good—he was a straight-up menace in 2024. The Sun Devils RB1 literally shattered ASU’s single-season record with 1,711 rushing yards and dropped 21 touchdowns like it was nothing. And if you thought he was just a power runner, think again. The guy had hands too—45 catches for 605 yards and three more scores. That Peach Bowl L to Texas? Skattebo walked away with Offensive MVP honors, flexing 143 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards, and even a 42-yard touchdown pass. The man did everything but sell popcorn to the fans.

Greg McElroy doubled down on the problem: “Well, they went to the portal. We’re optimistic that they’ve been able to somewhat replace what Skattebo was by getting Kanye Udoh from Army. He went for over 1,100 yards last year and 10 touchdowns. He’s going to be the guy that they’re throwing into the mix there as their workhorse back like Skattebo was. Can Udoh do it? We certainly hope so, but that is the biggest question—to take some of the pressure off the passing game, which should be amazing with Tyson back at receiver and Levit back at quarterback.”

The ASU went to the portal and brought Kanye Udoh. The Army transfer just put up 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. Sure, he’s a beast, and Army balled out last year with a 12-2 record. But can he be what Skattebo was for the Sun Devils? Can he take some load and pressure off from Sam Leavitt’s back? Because that’s the million-dollar question.

McElroy ain’t wrong when he says this might not be a one-man job. “Who’s going to be that bell cow that replaces Skattebo? It might not be just one guy—it might be a handful of guys. But Arizona State has all the pieces offensively to create big problems for the opposition if they can find an adequate replacement for their running back.” Translation: If Udoh ain’t it, ASU’s got issues. However, not everything’s dull and shaky in Tempe.

NFL legend drops major praise and a bold take on Sam Leavitt

ASU’s still got their golden boy, Sam Leavitt, under center. And the QB is already drawing comparisons to some serious names. Hines Ward—yeah, that Hines Ward—had some big words about the young quarterback. The former Steeler and now ASU’s wide receivers coach straight-up compared Leavitt’s mindset to Big Ben Roethlisberger.

“As a coach on the sideline, I can tell you, when there’s a TV timeout and we’re all on the sideline, Sam has that look in his eyes, like, ‘We will not be stopped. We’re going to score,’” Ward said. “He wants to score each and every time he touches a football. And he had that same look that Ben Roethlisberger had. Anytime I looked at Ben and his eyes, I just knew we were going to win the game because he had that look. He was not going to be denied of us winning. So I see a little bit of Ben in Sam in that aspect, just watching him and his approach because he’s very competitive.”

Ward wasn’t done. “He wants to make every play instead of throwing it out of bounds,” he added. “Ben had that same struggle. He just wanted to make every play, he wanted to make sure he can try to do all that he can to make the play. Sam has those intangibles.”

Look, if you’ve got Hines Ward comparing you to Big Ben, you’re doing something right. And if ASU wants to make another run at the big time, they’re gonna need Leavitt to play like vintage Ben from 05′. The kid’s already shown he’s got the guts, the talent, and apparently, that Roethlisberger-level intensity. But the major concern: Can Kanye Udoh fill the shoes left behind by Cam Skattebo?

That’s the part of the puzzle Kenny Dillingham’s still trying to solve. And until he does, ASU’s shot at the playoffs is looking like a long, bumpy road.