Jul 8, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham addresses the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Did Sun Devils Strike Gold in Transfer Portal?

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Scott Salomon | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Arizona State University made the College Football Playoff last season and they return 18 starters from that team. Sprinkle in a few transfer portal additions and the Sun Devils are going to be just as dangerous this season as they were last year.

The cornerbacks remain the same from last year's squad, but head coach Kenny Dillingham could have gotten a bargain with transfer Nyland Green, who was a reserve cornerback for the Purdue Boilermakers.

Green named a sleeper by ESPN

According to Bill Connelly of ESPN, Green is a sleeper who could come in at nickel and be the spark plug the defense needs to lead them to the promised land.

Green saw limited action in West Lafayette, but he made 23 tackles, two tackles for loss and had five pass breakups. He was also at Georgia for three seasons where he saw minimal playing time.

Green will be a welcomed addition to the defensive backfield as the Sun Devils at the 81st ranked pass defense in the FBS last season. He will be the spark plug the defense needs in the back.

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

In their first season in the Big 12, they were picked to finish dead last in the conference by the media last season. Led by quarterback Sam Leavitt, running back Cam Skatteo and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, they were the team hoisting the trophy at the end of the Big 12 Championship Game.

Dillingham returns for another season at the helm of the Sun Devils and he has the team and the league right where he wants them. The hunter has now become the hunted. All of the Big 12 will be gunning for the Sun Devils and will be seeking to knock them from their perch.

Dillingham has been placed on the watchlist for the most prestigious award in coaching, the Dodd Trophy. The prestigious award has been in existence for half a century and is the most coveted coaching award in the sport of college football.

Dillingham on the road to stardom

Dillingham took his offensive skills from the high school level to the collegiate level and Arizona State as an offensive analyst.

After coaching stops at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State and Oregon, Dillingham returned home to take the head coaching job with the Sun Devils in 2023. All he needed was one year to put the program in the nation's spectacle.

In just two years, Dillingham has built an oasis of college football nirvana in the desert valley. He has built a culture of winning, a sense of brotherhood among his players, and a desire to be underrated.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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