Kenny Dillingham contract extension: Arizona State makes massive move with lucrative offer for head coach before Peach Bowl

Kenny Dillingham took over as the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils last season. After a disappointing 3-9 debut in the Pac-12, he has led the program to new heights in their inaugural season in the Big 12 conference. The Sun Devils emerged as Big 12 champions and earned an automatic bye for the first round of the 12-team college football playoffs.

Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils will take on the Texas Longhorns in the Peach Bowl playoff quarterfinal on Wednesday. However, ahead of this important game, the program made a significant move regarding his future with the team.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Arizona State has offered Dillingham a massive new five-year contract ahead of the playoff quarterfinals. This deal is expected to place him among the top-paid coaches in the Big 12 and includes several new incentives and bonuses. Last season, according to On3's Coach Salary index, Dillingham made a base salary of $3.9 million.

Another video of Arizona State AD Graham Rossini has gone viral on social media. During a New Year's Eve Party in Atlanta, Rossini announced the new contract extension offered to Dillingham amid loud cheers from fans.

"You've all heard it first and here, that we've extended Coach Dillingham," Rossini said. "We're just getting started."

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Kenny Dillingham reveals why he decided to become Arizona State's head coach

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Kenny Dillingham is a proud graduate of ASU. Earlier this week, he reflected on the factors that influenced his decision to become the Sun Devils head coach last season.

Dillingham mentioned that being an ASU alum himself, he had a deep understanding of the culture and the needs of the program. This connection made it an ideal fit for his coaching career and has contributed to the success they are currently enjoying.

"The fit is so important. And me understanding the place here, I think it helped the fit and helped the transition because I just understand what the school and the city is about, and you're recruiting to the school. So you want people who understand that like you understand it. I think my knowledge of the place definitely helped me."

The Arizona State vs Texas Peach Bowl showdown is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET. It will be hosted at the Mercedes Benz Stadium and will be broadcast live on television on the ESPN channel.