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Deion Sanders proud of ASU’s Kenny Dillingham for success

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 4:32 PM ET

FRISCO, TEXAS – Arizona State football has gotten much of the love during Big 12 media days. In its first season in the conference, ASU swooped in from a predicted last place to winning the Big 12 in one of the biggest upsets in modern college football. The sensational season from the Sun Devils has caught the eyes of many analysts and fellow coaches, including Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. The Pro Football Hall of Famer had high praise about Dillingham’s success and the journey coming up together.

Sanders on Dillingham and ASU’s success last season:

Asked Deion Sanders about ASU football's evolution under Kenny Dillingham:

"What he did last season was un-darn-believable … I was proud of him. We were virgins together coming into the Pac 12, then the Big 12. Now, he's soaring … He is who he says he is."@DevilsDigest pic.twitter.com/vvNek6GC6n

— Justin LaCertosa (@LaCertosaSports) July 9, 2025

Dillingham and Sanders both joined the Pac-12 in 2023 and had limited success in their debut season. Neither program qualified for a Bowl game and won a combined three conference games. The duo faced much criticisms for their lackluster first-year and analysts predicted the worse with the move to the Big 12 conference.

However, neither coach faulter under the pressure and came into their second-year motivated. ASU and Colorado were predicted to finish near the bottom in the Big 12, and Dillingham and Sanders responded by finishing 1st and 4th at the end of the year. The Sun Devils coach won Big 12 coach of the year, which Sanders believed was more than deserved for the work that he did last year.

The two share a bond that Sanders touched on by both entering their first Power 5 head coaching job on a major scale. Despite the early turbulence, the two programs are soaring and it’s thanks to the leadership of Dillingham and Sanders, as they enter their third year looking to repeat their success.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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