Kenny Dillingham Backing Increased NIL Efforts

TEMPE -- It's no secret that the Arizona State football program has had to come from behind when it comes to being competitive in the NIL era of the sport.

The Sun Devils previously did not emphasize the need to secure lucrative deals with players under former AD Ray Anderson.

That has indubitably changed under incumbent AD Graham Rossini, who has worked tirelessly to improve every aspect within Arizona State athletics when possible, including in the NIL sphere. This has resulted in Rossini making a bold proclamation that the Sun Devils will have no problem retaining star quarterback Sam Leavitt for his junior season if the 20-year old so decides to return for another season.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham wasn't as committed to doubling down on the statement as one might believe when he joined the "Bickley and Marotta" show on Friday morning - although he continues to promise to give maximum effort to secure fair deals for each of his players.

"You know an athletic director's job is to be overly positive. Absolutely, absolutely not. I mean, the day in college football, it changes by the day, so absolutely not. We got a long way to go for me to be able to go on social media and be able to say, Hey, we are in a great place to go get anybody we want and do anything we want. From a financial standpoint, I'm fighting as hard as I can for my players to get as much as they can. That's my number one priority. Is to fight for my players, and I'm going to continue to do that. So absolutely not."

Dillingham's unabashed support for players has been a breath of fresh air in a sport where players have the propensity to be viewed as numbers rather than people - this is something that will undoubtedly continue to help the head man's efforts to bring players into the program.

Why Dillingham's NIL Efforts are Crucial

Player retention is just as crucial as bringing in new players in this landscape. Beyond Leavitt, star players such as C.J. Fite and Raleek Brown have the option to return to Tempe for another year, and the financial backing being there will very likely streamline the process.

The NIL chest also must be opened for the transfer portal this winter, as the Sun Devils are going to have to replace numerous players on both sides of the ball that are set to run out of eligibility - not even accounting for departing to the NFL draft early.