By Mark Pszonak
There are hundreds of preseason predictions each year, but you would be hard pressed to find any that had Arizona State bowl-eligible after eight games. But that is the reality of the situation, as head coach Kenny Dillingham has quickly revitalized the program and made the Sun Devils a surprising contender in the Big 12.
Coming off two straight 3-9 seasons, positive expectations were pretty much non-existent around Tempe during the off-season. However, Coach Dillingham continued to accumulate talent through the transfer portal and surprisingly to most, has pieced together a roster that has become an entertaining winner.
The Sun Devils are 7-2 and one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season. With consecutive wins against Oklahoma State and UCF, Arizona State has also moved to 4-2 in the Big 12. The Sun Devils are a game behind second place Colorado for a potential spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and have a huge game this Saturday night at Kansas State, which is also 4-2.
While underdogs against the Wildcats, Arizona State has been considered such for most of this season. They’ve dealt with injuries to quarterback Sam Leavitt and their star running back Cam Skattebo and have still been able to put themselves in this unlikely position.
And the main reason that they are in this position is Coach Dillingham. A head coach for the first time, and only 34 years old, he quickly made a name for himself at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State and most recently Oregon, before getting the Sun Devils’ job prior to the 2023 season.
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But he started his coaching career in the Arizona high school ranks after graduating as a Sun Devil in 2012. He became an offensive assistant at Arizona State in 2014 and the rest is history. Coach Dillingham also took over the job after Herm Edwards was fired, the roster was gutted by transfer exits and the program was in the midst of major NCAA investigations. Less than two years later he managed to have the Sun Devils at 7-2 and competing for the conference championship.
Arizona State has a lot to sell as a program and Coach Dillingham is eager to share all of the program’s positives at every chance
Kenny Dillingham on what it means for Arizona State to be playing meaningful football at this point in the season:
"I don't know if there's another team in the country that has a better chance to compete to win a championship, that lives in as good of a city, with as good of… pic.twitter.com/tkH7c5YC3f
— Justin LaCertosa (@LaCertosaSports) November 13, 2024
And the most important thing Coach Dillingham can now sell to recruits is a winning program. The fact he has accomplished this isn’t the amazing part, but that it has happened in only two seasons is a miracle.
Now everyone gets to see what he can accomplish after a winning season and a bowl game in his holster. Everything is looking even sunnier in Tempe nowadays.
