Story by Cedric Cobb
Photos courtesy of Arizona State University
Recently I sat down with Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham and discussed the direction of the program and how he navigates in today’s climate with the transfer portal and the NIL Collective.
- You’re one of the youngest head coaches in college football. How do you use that to your advantage when connecting with your players?
- It’s nothing unique. For me it’s about understanding how they think and understanding how things are in this technological world.
- When you first took over the program, what was your biggest priority for day one—and has that changed since then?
- It was about coming in and resetting the standard, getting the right people in the building and setting the minimum expectations.
- You’ve talked a lot about energy and accountability. How do you keep that energy consistent through the highs and lows of the season?
- We focus on getting better and not just the wins and losses. The key is staying focused on the main things
- What have been some of your proudest moments as ASU’s head coach so far?
- Obviously winning the Big 12 in our first year is high up there. I would also say being able to take the trophy out to the Arizona high school championships for the kids to see. That moment was very special.
- Mental health is becoming a bigger part of the conversation in college sports. How does your staff support players off the field?
- We have an entire team that handles that, and we try to create a positive atmosphere. We also try to keep the players in good spirits.
- With NIL and the transfer portal reshaping college football, how are you adapting your strategy to keep ASU competitive?
- You have to get guys that fit your program. You have to be wiling to say no to some people. Have a plan and stick to it. Have a direction of where you want to go. You have to stay on course. You have to adapt but at the same time you need to stay the same to get the results that you desire.
- What does Arizona-based talent mean to this program, and how important is it to keep top athletes in-state?
- We obviously want to keep them in state. Winning helps and making them feel that home is somewhere where they can develop and work towards playing on Sundays.
- How do you build and maintain team culture in a diverse locker room?
- We create standards and keep the players involved. The team leaders make the decisions and in part run the program. They were voted on by the players, so they represent them.
- How do you prepare your players for life after football, especially those who may not go pro?
- We have DJ Foster, former Sun Devil and NFL player, who does our life skills program. Our mantra on ‘How you live’ will prepare our kids to be successful in life.
- What excites you most about the direction of ASU football over the next 2–3 years?
- The culture and the guys that we’re bringing in. The overall excitement in the city also.
- Last one—what’s one word or phrase you’d use to describe this team going into next season, and why?
- “What Can We Be”, There’s still so many questions on what we can be and what we can accomplish as a program.
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