Arizona State Assistant Coach Highlight: Shaun Aguano

The Arizona State Sun Devil football program struck gold when Kenny Dillingham was hired in November 2022 to replace the previous full-time head coach in Herm Edwards.

Dillingham took the reigns of the program with authority which didn't lead to success in the win column right away, but eventually paid off in year two of his tenure - by rebuilding fan support, introducing an innovative offensive system, and working with AD Graham Rossini to reshape how the athletic programs operate.

Dillingham has built up a top-tier coaching staff over the last two-plus years, but perhaps the most crucial decision was when the Sun Devil alum opted to retain then interim head coach Shaun Aguano as the running backs coach.

Aguano joined Arizona State in 2019 after becoming one of the most decorated high school football coaches in state history at Chandler high school.

The impact Aguano made was felt almost instantly in his tenure.

His running back tree is absurd even at the surface - Eno Benjamin, Rachaad White, X Valladay, and Cam Skattebo all excelled under his tutelage.

As previously mentioned, Aguano took over as the interim head coach when Edwards was fired three games into the 2022 season.

The four time Arizona state champion won two games - an upset victory over the University of Washington and a road victory over Colorado.

Both wins were vacated, but the team showed much fight in his nine games in the lead - they only got blown out two times.

Dillingham's decision to retain Aguano cannot be overstated as one of the most crucial that have been made since the day he was hired - the rise of Skattebo potentially doesn't come to fruition without it.

The attention that Skattebo's success under him has raised the national profile of the Sun Devil program tenfold - Aguano alluded to as much in an interview with Michelle Gardner of the Arizona Republic.

"I recruit Hawaii and I'll be over there and I'm wearing my ASU shirt or whatever."

"People stop me and they want to ask about Cam. Or they'll see me and just yell out, 'Hey, how about that Skattebo?' I certainly have not seen anything like it."

Read more about three potential key contributors to the 2025 team via the senior class here, and on Jalen Moss looking to make his mark in Tempe from our very own Greg Liodice here.

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