ASU football’s Kenny Dillingham can go from Big 12’s ‘worst coach’ to Coach of the Year

ESPN showed a graphic during its Big 12 game coverage on Saturday that really caught our attention.

The graphic showed a preseason ranking of the 16 coaches in the Big 12 Conference, from No. 1 to No. 16.

No. 16 on the list? Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham, whose Sun Devils are tied for third in the conference with a pathway to the Big 12 title game.

Yes, there’s still a possibility that the “worst coach” in the Big 12 could be the Big 12 champ.

Interestingly, several sites had the second-year ASU football coach ranked last in their preseason coach rankings.

Read more: Arizona State, Kansas State fans slam Desmond Howard’s ‘disrespectful’ Big 12 game pick

Kenny Dillingham, ASU football proving doubters very wrong

CBS Sports, the site cited on the ESPN graphic, wrote of Dillingham’s No. 16 ranking: “Dillingham inherited a mess from Herm Edwards, and the quick fix of playing true freshman Jaden Rashada at quarterback didn’t pan out. The 34-year-old former Oregon offensive coordinator is drinking from a firehose as his alma mater transitions to the Big 12.”

Athlon Sports, which also had Dillingham last in the Big 12, wrote: “Dillingham is at the bottom of the Big 12 coach rankings, but don’t let that placement fool you: Arizona State is headed in the right direction. Despite injuries and a shorthanded roster, the Sun Devils managed to be competitive in a 3-9 debut for Dillingham last year. The 34-year-old Arizona native is one of college football’s top offensive minds and has a track record of success as a coordinator from stints at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State, and Oregon. Expect Arizona State to take a step forward in Dillingham’s second year.”

More Sun Devils: ASU football upsets Kansas State to stay in Big 12 Conference Championship race

ASU football’s Kenny Dillingham just might go from the “worst coach”…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/asu-footballs-kenny-dillingham-big-210325510.html

Author : AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Publish date : 2024-11-18 21:03:25

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