Last year, the only thing anybody wanted to talk to Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham about was his take on being picked to finish last in the Big 12. But Dillingham, now heading into his third year, is a hotter commodity after his team’s Cinderella run to a conference title and berth in the College Football Playoffs.
During a brief reprieve from recruiting, Dillingham was in Orlando with other Big 12 coaches and administrators for the annual spring conference meetings.
He appeared on a media Zoom call with Kansas coach Lance Leipold and Big 12 Chief Football Officer Scott Draper.
Dillingham said while the accolades are nice, it’s not a position he’s comfortable in.
The conference predictions and national publications won’t be out for another month, but with 16 returning starters led by sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, ASU should be at the top of the heap rather than the bottom this time around.
“It’s actually less fun,” Dillingham said, of going from underdog to favorite. “It’s more motivating for people to say that you suck. It’s way more difficult when people say you’re good. I’m not actually one who likes to hear how good you are anyway, so for me it’s uncomfortable. I’d rather be the underdog, somebody people count out, so this is uncomfortable to get that positive praise. I would prefer it to all be about the players and then for me to navigate the players and just make sure they stay focused and try and be the best version of themselves.”
He expects a challenge when it comes to defending that conference title. He adds that being as good as last year won’t cut it because other teams are getting better as well. He respects the leadership that other teams boast.
“We were picked dead last last year and won it. So who cares? We could be picked first this time and finish dead last,” he said. “Our league is…
Source link : https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2025/05/29/asu-football-coach-kenny-dillingham-finds-a-whole-new-set-of-challenges-ahead/83926862007/
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Publish date : 2025-05-29 21:40:00
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