Arizona State QB Leavitt and Texas Tech LB Rodriguez are preseason Big 12 players of year

IRVING, Texas (AP) – Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez were named the preseason Big 12 Conference players of the year on Monday.

The Big 12 announced the awards, which are determined by a vote of media members who cover the league, the day before the Big 12 Football Media Days started in Frisco, Texas.

There was no preseason poll since the Big 12 discontinued that this year, joining the Big Ten as power conferences without one. The Big 12’s move comes a year after then-newcomer Arizona State was picked to finish last in the 16-team league before going on to win the conference championship game.

Leavitt completed 216 of 350 passes (61.7%) for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions as a redshirt freshman last season when the Sun Devils made the 12-team College Football Playoff in their Big 12 debut. The former Michigan State transfer also ran for 443 yards and five TDs.

Rodriguez was the Big 12’s leading tackler with 126 total tackles, and his 77 solo stops were also the most in the league. He had 7 1/2 tackles for loss, and all five of his sacks came in Big 12 play.

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, a transfer from New Mexico, was selected as the Big 12’s top newcomer. He was the Mountain West Conference leader last season with 3,934 total yards last season, 2,768 passing and 1,166 rushing.