It didn’t take long for Arizona State’s second-year head coach, Kenny Dillingham, to become a fan favorite, even for many outside of Tempe, Arizona.
But regardless of how general college football fans feel about Dillingham specifically, the turnaround he ignited for the Sun Devils football program has been nothing short of spectacular.
Dillingham needed just one year to turn things around after taking over a team that went 3-9 in 2022 and a program that hadn’t won more than eight games since 2014. Arizona State went 11-2 this season while rolling to a 45-19 victory in the Big 12 Championship Game over the Iowa State Cyclones.
The Sun Devils now enter the 2025 College Football Playoff as the No. 4 seed and will receive a first-round bye while they await the winner of the No. 5 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 12 Clemson Tigers.
It would be understandable for any coach to ensure his entire team is fully focused on the task at hand ahead of their playoff opener. However, Dillingham opted to take the road less traveled in one key area — the transfer portal.
Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham takes the trophy after winning the Big 12 Championship.
Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham sparked an impressive turnaround leading the program to the 2025 College Football Playoff.
As CBS5’s Brad Denny revealed, Dillingham chose to tell players who are entering the transfer portal that they should do so now, before the team’s playoff matchup. The Arizona State coach said he made this decision to ensure players aren’t left in a “bad position” when it comes to finding a new team, but is also allowing them to remain with the Sun Devils through the 2025 College Football Playoffs.
It’s a unique and rare approach by a head coach, especially one set to lead his team in a push for a national title. Most importantly, it shows that Dillingham is putting the good of his players first, regardless of whether they’ll be with the team next year or not.
While there are bound to be players who opt to enter the transfer portal, it’s unlikely we’ll see any not come along for the ride ahead of one of the biggest games in the program’s recent history.
Arizona State was led through its stellar 2024 campaign by running back Cam Skattebo, who tallied 1,568 rushing yards, 506 receiving yards and 22 total touchdowns. Quarterback Sam Leavitt impressed with 2,663 yards through the air, 24 touchdowns and just five interceptions, while the team’s top receiver was Jordyn Tyson, who caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and1 0 scores.