Rushing Raleek: Brown takes hand off, continues carrying ASU running back legacy

Thirty-four seconds remained in the fourth quarter of a tense Big 12 Conference showdown between Arizona State and Texas Tech.

With the Sun Devils on the Red Raiders' 1-yard line, ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt took the snap and pitched the football to Raleek Brown.

Catching the ball in stride, Brown, a shifty and explosive running back, shot over a defender and into the end zone to score the game-winning touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in regulation against their then-No.7 ranked opponent.

The ASU faithful inside Mountain America Stadium, not surprisingly, erupted as the Sun Devil student section emptied onto the playing field in celebration for the second consecutive year. 

For senior Raleek Brown, this was a moment a long time coming.

A five-star prospect out of Mater Dei in California, Brown prides himself on his work ethic, his football IQ and his quickness; so much so, he likens his game to that of Jahmyr Gibbs, an NFL All-Pro back on the Detroit Lions. The ASU running back has stepped up in a big way this season, quietly rushing for 1,141 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. He's also hauled in 34 passes for 239 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

		Rushing			Receiving
Date	Opponent	Attempt	Yards	Avg.	Receptions	Yards	Avg.
8/30	vs. NAU	5	38	7.6	3	13	4.3
9/6	at Mississippi State	18	110	6.1	3	10	3.3
9/13	vs. Texas State	12	144	12.0	1	11	11.0
9/20	at Baylor	21	80	3.8	3	23	7.7
9/26	vs. TCU	21	134	6.4	9	50	5.6
10/11	at Utah	14	67	4.8	2	17	8.5
10/18	vs. Texas Tech	19	69	3.6	4	15	3.8
10/25	vs. Houston	11	64	5.8	2	20	10.0
11/1	at Iowa State	16	64	4.0	2	8	4.0
11/15	vs. WVU	14	53	3.8	3	29	9.7
11/22	at Colorado	22	255	11.6	1	33	33.0
11/28	vs. Arizona	13	63	4.8	1	10	10.0
	Totals:	186	1141	6.1	34	239	7.0

Throughout all of 2025, Brown has stayed consistent during his first season as RB1.

“It’s nothing really different, it's just the same thing,” said Brown of his week-to-week preparation. “I'm just attacking each day harder and harder, then getting more treatment to take care of my body. I know I'm the primary back and getting more carries now, so I have to keep my body healthy.”

In ASU's regular season road finale at Colorado on Nov. 22, Brown (255) broke a 52-season program record for most rushing yards (251) in a road game set by Ben Malone at Oregon State during the 1973 campaign. His 255 rushing yards were the third most by a Sun Devil in a single game in program history. The rushing performance pushed Brown over the 1,000 rushing yard mark for the season, marking the 29th 1,000 yard rushing season in program history. 

Early in his collegiate career at USC, Brown showed promise by playing in 14 games as a freshman throughout the 2022 season. He finished the season with six total touchdowns and 919 all-purpose yards (227 rushing yards, 175 receiving yards and 517 kickoff return yards.) 

Heading into his sophomore season in 2023, the Trojans opted to move Brown to wide receiver, a decision that ultimately led to him redshirting and exploring options in the transfer portal.

Brown ultimately chose Tempe, where he took a medical redshirt for the 2024 season to rehab a hamstring injury. That same season, the Sun Devils went on a historic playoff run, after winning a Big 12 Championship.

While Brown’s path hasn’t been as straightforward as he would have liked, he’s remained grounded by his beliefs.

“[I focused on] keeping God first and just staying down to Earth,” said Brown of his mentality. “I'm just being patient, staying focused and knowing my time will come.”

Even though Brown couldn’t take part in the 2024 season, he enjoyed being a part of the program and took the opportunity to learn as the Sun Devils reached new heights in the program’s first year in the Big 12. Cam Skattebo had a historic season at running back, by rushing for a single season program record 1,711 yards and scoring 24 total touchdowns, sparking the fire for a promising NFL career.

“It was fun watching the guys win, so it wasn't too bad, but it was hard just sitting out and watching [Skattebo] play," said Brown. "But I feel like that helped prep me for this year with the offense by sitting down to learn, take notes and look at the little things.”

With Skattebo’s departure to the professional level, one question remained: Who is going be the next Sun Devil running back to help lead the offense forward?

According to running backs coach Shaun Aguano, it’s as much about a player's mental characteristics as it is their physical attributes.

“[We’re looking for] somebody that has a high IQ, that loves football, that can catch the ball out of the backfield, that finishes runs with toughness; somebody that's not scared to pass the ball, and then somebody that is a team guy,” said Aguano. “I think in this world today that there aren't too many guys that love the game. So, to find that unicorn is something that we spend a lot of time on, trying to find that guy that loves football, who attacks the game, and that is a perfect fit for our room because that room is filled with those types of guys.”

Brown has proved to be such a “unicorn,” by demonstrating maturity, a love for the game, along with raw talent and ability.

“Because of his injuries the last couple of years, I thought he handled the spring really well and it shows in the fall because of his production,” Aguano said. “He's an explosive guy that has a very high IQ and can catch the ball well out of the backfield, so he's that complete back that we're looking for. The other [running backs] are supplement guys that can take that role, too, but he's just risen to the top and has done very well.”

Losing a key player can be taxing on a locker room’s culture, but the Sun Devils have taken it in stride.

“I feel like the environment from last year and this year is the same," Brown said. "It's like a brotherhood; everybody's close, everybody gets along with each other.

“In the running back room, everybody gets along with each other, too; it's really close and tight. Everybody pushes each other, makes each other better, so I feel like it's the same.”

Brown also credits head coach Kenny Dillingham when considering the positive vibe in the locker room.

“He just lets us play, lets us be us,” explained Brown. “He focuses on doing the right thing and making sure we're always doing the right thing, because people are always watching.”

Aguano noted that team culture has remained consistent throughout his tenure with the Sun Devils and that this consistency is part of their formula for developing elite talent.

“For the past seven years I've been here, we always ask who the next guy is going to be," said Aguano. "It started from Eno [Benjamin] to Rachaad [White] to Xavier Valladay to Skattebo. Somebody always steps up.

"I think the culture in the room understands hard work, understands that there's a goal for the whole team. Understanding what is asked for in that room, I think, has been portrayed for those seven years. So, I think that there's no change. That's why you see that somebody just steps up all the time.”

Brown has made his presence felt this season, continuing a legacy of greatness at the running back position in Tempe that has been the result of a culture of hard work and love for the game.

Brown’s football aspirations don’t end in Sun Devil maroon, but in Hall of Fame gold.

When asked about his football career goals, Brown responded simply, “I want to be a running back Hall of Famer. Gold jacket.”

With Brown’s mentality, along with the lessons learned in Tempe, anything’s possible.