Kenny Dillingham reveals how he turned adversity into prosperity

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, one of the youngest in college football, turned early career setbacks into opportunities. In Thursday's episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman, he shared how adversity shaped his coaching journey.

Early in his career at Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham faced a setback when he was unexpectedly demoted from his graduate assistant role the day before fall camp. Dillingham was stunned, as he was no longer allowed to coach.

In response, Dillingham dedicated himself to recruiting and support tasks.

"I doubled down in doing everything in recruiting and getting the coffee ready and getting the paper off the printer and making the books and breaking down the games and sign kids," he said. “I'm going to make myself so valuable that you're not going to have a choice.”

According to Dillingham, his philosophy is simple: add so much value that being overlooked becomes impossible.

“It's not my job to hire you. It's your job to make me hire you," he said. "If you're in a building and you're mad you didn't get a job, that's not the coach's fault. That's your fault.”

Kenny Dillingham faces the tougher task after breakout season

Arizona State Sun Devils head football coach Kenny Dillingham - Source: Imagn

Kenny Dillingham is gearing up for the 2025 season with new challenges after Arizona State’s breakout 2024 campaign. The Sun Devils exceeded expectations by winning the Big 12 and reaching the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Now, Dillingham faces the tougher task of sustaining that success.

Dillingham stresses that the team can’t rely solely on talent—they must prepare relentlessly and bring the same “fire, energy, and passion” that fueled last season’s run.

“How do you get that same group of people to play with that fire, that energy, that passion, with that level of ‘the world is against me’? The greatest challenge for our guys is that because we have everybody back (over 30 players that were in the 2024 two-deep), we’re going to have expectations,” he said [H/t ASU Devils].

“We're only going to be as good as we prepare and practice. We're not just going to be able to show up on Saturday and win games. It’s a process.”

With key departures like Cam Skattebo, the focus shifts to ASU’s depth at running back. Army transfer Kany Udoh is expected to contribute immediately, while a versatile group provides additional options.

At quarterback, redshirt freshman Sam Leavitt will get the opportunity to develop his skill set while playing with freedom. The return of Jordyn Tyson adds another weapon to the offense.

Kenny Dillingham’s long-term vision is to establish a standard of excellence where ASU remains competitive even in down years. He believes the growing excitement around the program will help sustain success and ensure the Sun Devils are more than just a “flash in the pan.”