Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham yells to his team during a practice inside the Verde Dickey Dome in Tempe on August 12, 2025. Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kenny Dillingham Speaks on Arizona State's Mindset

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Arizona State football is currently setting the stage to be the major power in a reshaped Big 12 conference long-term after securing a conference title in shocking fashion as debut members of the league a year ago.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham has reshuffled the program seemingly overnight, inspiring many around the football world and tirelessly building the Sun Devil brand nationally.

Dillingham joined ESPN's pregame coverage on Saturday morning ahead of the season-opening game between Iowa State and Kansas State alongside star QB Sam Leavitt in another positive reflection of the program.

Dillingham's most poignant response was to a question surrounding when he can tell that a football team is special.

"Let's not kid ourselves, players win - not coaches. So talent, right? You have to be able to look out there and say 'okay, we're talented enough to win.' So, we have that. Then, the second thing is the team coming together and being bigger than the individuals - and that's the adversity piece, and we try to create some adversity throughout camp at some point to try to see if people are going to be broken apart or come together.

Last year, Sam Leavitt was competing for ASU's starting job; now he's being labeled an early Heisman candidate. Kenny Dillingham praised Leavitt's growth:

"Sometimes people talk about him as if he'd been here 4 years. You forget a year ago today everybody had question marks." pic.twitter.com/gTvYzXbEZ1
— Jakob Brooks (@Jakobrooks) August 23, 2025

And so I think throughout camp if our guys are growing together, not apart through the adversity, through the tough times - that's when I feel very, very confident about football teams."

The connection that the Arizona State team has is seldom seen in the world of sports. The roster is genuinely fond of each other and show up for each other regularly, while also responding to the various high-level coaches that are on the staff.

The bond and continuity that the team currently holds should lead to advantages in contests such as Texas Tech - which is a transfer-laden team, and Utah - which has to integrate a new quarterback into the offense.

Dillingham's vision is equally ambitious and stable, which is an advantage that will push Arizona State's brand forward in the grand scheme of the Big 12.

Read more on the case for Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.

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

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