It’s hard to ignore the energy buzzing around Tempe these days. Whether it’s fans high-fiving in sports bars, kids running alongside football players at Pat’s Run, or the quiet pride of a coach returning home, Arizona State University Football is entering a new era—and Head Coach Kenny Dillingham is right at the heart of it.
But if you ask him, he doesn’t exactly see himself that way.
“I still haven’t processed the role I have in it.
“It’s exciting. It’s cool. To be honest, it’s more surreal,” Dillingham shared. “Because I’m in it, I don’t feel like I’m in it. I go to the grocery store and people take photos. I’m like, why? This is weird…I’m just one of the people here.”
That humility followed him from city to city—Memphis, Auburn, Florida State, Oregon—before finally bringing him back to the place that had started it all.
“This is where I grew up. This is where I fell in love with football,” he said. “To be the head coach here means everything.”
Dillingham’s return to ASU was more than a career move—it was a homecoming. “Being close to family, seeing familiar faces—it’s grounding. It reminds me why I do this.”
Carrying Momentum into a New Season
Coming off a season full of grit and growth, Dillingham knows success doesn’t carry over on its own.
“Different guys have to step up...and it can’t be two people, it can’t be three people,” he said. “Last year, we had a really special thing where everybody was invested…We’ve got to find how to get that emotional investment with this team.”
It’s the little things, he emphasized, that add up to big wins.
“Football is about winning close games. From now until forever, we’re going to play close games—and it’s those details, those small things, that help you in close games.”
Building Culture Through Community
Beyond the field, Dillingham is intent on connecting his team with the values that define ASU—something he’s bringing to life through events like Pat’s Run.
“I couldn’t be more honored to do it,” he said of the race honoring Pat Tillman. “Our entire team is going to do the kids’ run. If you have a kid and they want to participate…all of our players will be out there. It’s pretty cool.”
He’s also working closely with the Pat Tillman Foundation to build leadership and legacy into the program. “We’re diving back in and trying to coordinate with that foundation to keep his legacy alive in this generation.”
A Familiar Face in a Familiar Town
These days, being Kenny Dillingham in Tempe comes with its own set of challenges—namely, anonymity.
“I can’t be as discreet or put a hat on and disappear,” he laughed. “But if you’re here long enough—which I want to be—you’re going to be recognized. You’re either going to get booed or they’ll want a photo. I’d much rather take a photo.”
At the end of the day, Dillingham doesn’t see himself as the face of the program—just a piece of a larger puzzle.
“We’re nowhere near putting the puzzle together. We just found this last year. We may have gone on a run of six to seven pieces…but we’re not close to what I really believe we can accomplish here. That still takes time—and it’s really challenging. Very, very challenging.”