For our Kids Issue, we’re spotlighting a local kid who grew up to live the dream… coaching college kids in his favorite sport, for the team he grew up cheering for.
Coach Kenny Dillingham isn’t just the youngest Power Five head coach in the nation... he’s a hometown guy who married his high school sweetheart and now leads the program he grew up tailgating for.
In this special sit-down, Coach Kenny talks about his rapid rise, real-deal coaching style, and love for family.
You’re in your early 30s and crushing it. How does it make you feel?
"I started coaching at 17, so I’ve always been the youngest in the room. I don’t measure it by age; I measure it by experience."
What did you dream of as a kid?
"I wanted to play, but I wasn’t that athletic. People would always tell me, 'You’re going to coach.' I was like, 'I’m 12… I still like to play!' But honestly, I always had that coaching mindset. People around me kind of spoke it into existence. I used to sit and watch football on TV and just feel it... I knew I wanted to be in the game somehow. There was never a plan B."
You’re a Chap grad and ASU alum. What was high school Kenny like?
"The same as I am now... competitive. I loved sports and always wanted to win. I’ve been a fan of every Arizona team from day one. This is home."
Describe your ASU college experience.
"I’d go to class, work, then go coach high school football, so I didn’t have that typical college experience. I was doing film breakdowns, driving across town for high school games, learning everything I could. However, my wife and I both went to ASU- she danced there- and we stayed together through it all. Definitely the most memorable part."
You two go way back.
"We were high school sweethearts. We were neighbors. We went to prom together."
What’s it been like going from coaching at Chap to leading ASU?
"It just kind of happened. I wish I could say there was a set plan, but it’s been about staying humble and doing the roles you don’t want to do to get in the door. Football is football. People are people. Whether you're at Chaparral or Arizona State, it’s about learning how to operate in each environment."
You’ve brought local coaches with you to ASU. Why is that hometown connection important?
"This city is different from most in college football. It’s a transplant city, so to build real pride, you need people who care. I wanted coaches who love Arizona and love ASU; people who want to stay. That’s how you build continuity and a lasting culture. I brought guys who know what it’s like to grind here. Coaches from Chap, Saguaro… guys who grew up coaching in 110-degree heat on high school fields. That matters. That builds a different kind of toughness."
What’s the best part about coaching at ASU?
"The connection. Walking into a place and seeing your middle school PE coach waving at you from the stands. Bumping into your friend’s uncle at a gas station who asks about spring ball. There’s no other job in the country where I’d get those kinds of moments."
The biggest challenge?
"Trying to please everyone. I grew up here, so I know a lot of people. Everyone wants tickets, favors... Literally every week someone texts asking if I can help with parking or sideline passes. It’s all out of love, but I have to draw lines. At some point, I’m like, ‘I’m coaching a football team, not running a concierge desk!’”
You helped bring home a conference title in your second year as head coach. Tell us about that moment.
"It was surreal. Confetti falling, players celebrating... you think, 'Is this real life?' But I’m not great at reflecting. I enjoy the moment and then move on. What I really love is seeing the Valley get behind ASU again. That’s what college football is about."
How does the move to the Big 12 shift things?
"It gives us access to recruit a new region. That blend of players makes us better. And getting to coach against legendary programs and coaches is a huge challenge I embrace."
Your biggest takeaway from last season?
"Effort and continuity matter. Guys playing for each other is powerful. This season, it’s about doubling down on those things."
How do you define your coaching style?
"Honest. Enthusiastic. Hopefully smart."
What’s your go-to motivation method with your players?
"Brutal honesty. I think people underestimate this generation… they say you can’t be too hard on them, but I disagree. They want the truth. When you give it to them straight, they respond."
Will that same approach apply to your own son as he grows up?
"Hopefully. And if I can’t deliver it, I better find someone who can coach him the way he needs."
What keeps you mentally grounded?
"This is my job, but it’s also my hobby. I love it. We have a saying: 'Have more fun working harder than anyone in the country.' That’s how I approach every day. I’m lucky. I don’t need an escape from work because I genuinely love it. Sure, there are hard days, but even the hard days are worth it."
What would your players say about you?
"They’d probably say I’m goofy… or consistent. Hopefully both. If you walked into practice, you’d probably hear me cracking a joke before blowing a whistle. I want to create an environment where guys want to be… where they know they’re going to be challenged, but also know I’m in their corner. Also, I'm sure they think I talk fast. I get excited and just go. I don’t really shut off."
And speaking of family, you live close to yours, right?
"Yeah, my sister and I share a back fence. My mom lives down the street and randomly picks up my toddler for a few hours. It’s pretty amazing... there’s only one job that’s truly home for me, and this is it."
What would you tell your high school self?
"Ignore the drama. There’s drama in everything. Pick the battles that matter."
Cheat meal?
"Everything."
Pre-game meal?
"Meatballs and pasta."
Favorite Valley date spot?
"Any of the steakhouses."
Game day playlist?
"I don’t listen much. I try to calm down more than get pumped up."
Who’s your coaching idol?
"Pete Carroll. He embodied what great leadership looks like."
Best advice?
"Be yourself."
What’s a side of you people don’t usually see?
"Everyone sees the fun, energetic guy. But I’m very direct."
What can fans expect this season?
"I just hope our guys play as hard as they did last year. If we do that, good things are going to happen."
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave at ASU?
"I don’t care about my own legacy. I just want the next generation- my son’s generation- to grow up thinking ASU has always been a winner. That’s how I know we did it right. It’s about a 10-year-old watching a game and dreaming of being a Sun Devil. That’s the win."
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
"Hopefully still here."
"I always wanted to be in the game. There was never a plan B."