Kenny Dillingham is living the dream.
One of the youngest coaches in college football at 34 years old, Dillingham is coaching his hometown team, just 15 minutes from where he grew up.
But it didn’t start out as a dream.
When Dillingham took over the Arizona State football program in November 2022, the Sun Devils were a mess. NCAA sanctions were looming from the prior coaching staff and the roster was in shambles.
Fast forward two years and Dillingham has turned a sleeping giant into one of the best college football programs in the country. The Sun Devils shocked the sports world in 2024 by winning the Big 12 and advancing to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Their Big 12 championship was the sixth-biggest upset in sports betting history.
Arizona State’s roster is now loaded with NFL talent and Dillingham is attracting top football recruits from across the country. After being picked to finish last in the Big 12 in 2024, the Sun Devils will likely be the favorites in 2025.
And Dillingham is now being paid accordingly.
Dillingham Gets $1.75 Million Raise
On Thursday, the Arizona Board of Regents approved Dillingham’s contract extension, which will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big 12.
Dillingham’s base salary will jump from $4.05 million to $5.8 million, retroactive to Jan. 1. His contract now runs through Dec. 31, 2029, but there is reportedly language in the contract that will extend it to 10 years. And the contract reportedly is incentive-laden, with an opportunity to earn several million more each season for winning the Big 12 and advancing in the College Football Playoff.
The bottom line: Athletic Director Graham Rossini has made it clear he will do whatever it takes to keep Dillingham and his staff in Tempe.
In November, Rossini gave new three-year contracts to offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and defensive coordinator Brian Ward. Their deals will reportedly pay them more than one million dollars per year.
Big 12 Football Coaching Salaries
When the 2024 season started, Dillingham ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 in annual base salary. Entering the 2025 season he will be in the top 5.
Here’s how the Big 12 coaching salaries stacked up entering the 2024 college football season:
1. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State – $7.75 million
2. Lance Leipold, Kansas – $7.5 million
3. Kyle Whittingham, Utah – $6.525 million
4. Deion Sanders, Colorado – $5.7 million
5. Chris Klieman, Kansas State – $5.25 million
6. Sonny Dykes, TCU – $5,008,414 million
7. Dave Aranda, Baylor – $4,540,885 million
8. Willie Fritz, Houston – $4.5 million
9. Joey McGuire, Texas Tech – $4,247,960
10. Matt Campbell, Iowa State – $4,009,886 million
11. Neal Brown, West Virginia – $4 million
12. Gus Malzahn, UCF – $4 million
13. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State – $3.95 million
14. Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati – $3.6 million
15. Brent Brennan, Arizona – $3.1 million