Breaking Down Kenny Dillingham's Week 13 Press Conference

Below is a partial transcript from head coach Kenny Dillingham's post-game press conference following the victory over West Virginia.

Dillingham on Mindset of Team

"I mean, like it's all the guys in their locker room. Some people find ways to win. Some people find ways to lose, whether that's in some people, you know, are quiet and they're successful versus guys that are loud and successful. Some people are alphas. Some people aren't. There's so many ways to be successful in football and life. Some people like controversy. Some people hate it. Do you get it done or not?"

On QB Jeff Sims

"Yeah. I mean, I truly think I said, I think it was last, whatever, 18 months ago, that I think our team has two NFL quarterbacks. And I think some people laughed at me or thought I was a little bit crazy. Still believe that.

I think Jeff Sims is a guy who can play on Sundays. I absolutely believe that. And for him to be able to get his opportunity is super cool. And me and coach royal, like, joke about it, we're like, man, like, what's right in the universe is for him to go out and be successful because he's such a good kid."

On Keith Abney II's Game Winning Interception

"Yeah, well, I think, you know, we want to recruit smart kids here. You know, our slogan to win football games is smart, tough, the bowl of the team. And Keith's a guy was in the Barrett Honors Program, the number one honors program in the country. And, you know, little plug for Barrett right there. He's in it. And when you see smart players make smart plays, it starts in the classroom. It starts in how he carries himself, and just in life. And then when it carries over to game day like that, it just shows you that you know being smart helps you win football games."

On Jordyn Tyson's Injury

"If Jordyn could play football, right now, he would 100% play football. Jordyn wants to play, right? But Kenny Dillingham is not gonna let him play until he's 100% not 90% not 95% when you're dealing with muscles, you don't mess around, you can't push through a muscle, right? You know, if your shoulder hurts, if your knee hurts, you can push through something you can't push through when you have a torn hamstring, it's just you got to wait and rehab and hope to come back as soon as possible.

So hopefully he's progressing, whether that's what this week, next week, who knows? Like, we just got to keep, keep progressing him. And he's putting in the work to come back, and he wants to come back for whatever it's worth."

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on how the culture that has been cultivated by coach Dillingham showed up against West Virginia here.