Arizona State’s Versatility Proving to Be Key Competitive Advantage

When Arizona State takes the field Friday night against TCU, one of the most significant factors may not be the talent on the roster, but the way head coach Kenny Dillingham adjusts his game plan. 

In a league where offenses can explode at any moment, the Sun Devils have leaned heavily on being flexible from week to week rather than sticking to one set formula.

Dillingham made that point clear when he explained why his staff isn’t afraid to tweak their strategy depending on the opponent and how the game flows.

Coach's Thoughts

• “Yeah, 100% I’m going to change based on my personnel. So we kick field goals at a higher rate. We’re struggling right now in short yardage. So we get short yardage down there, we’re probably going to kick more field goals than we have in the past,” Dillingham said. 

That flexibility has already paid off. The Sun Devils have pulled out close wins in almost every way imaginable.

 Sometimes it’s the offense marching down the field. Other times, it’s the defense making an essential interception. The Sun Devils have sealed games with big kicks.

• “That’s just, we’re changing our personality every week, and every game is a little different. That’s why I don’t just copy-paste the book in terms of the statistics, because I want to be able to manage the flow of the game for each individual team, each individual game.” Said Dillingham

The results speak for themselves: Arizona State is 3-1 in one-score games under Dillingham, proof that his constant adjustments are giving the Sun Devils an edge when the pressure is highest.