Modern College Football Landscape Doesn't Phase Kenny Dillingham

"Do I think it's going to be like this forever?" Dillingham said. "No, but right now, in this wild, wild place that we're in, there are haves, there are have-nots.

"You've seen programs go all in, and you've seen the reward from doing that," Dillingham said. "Some teams that have gone all in have won championships for the first time in the history of their program, or one of the few times that they've been the best that they've ever been in their program or in the recent future, and that's everybody's going to allude that to one team. It's not one team, it's a multitude of teams.

"It's just the nature of this profession," Dillingham said. "This profession has changed so drastically in the last three years, it's not even comparable. You know, you could think it's similar, but the inner workings is completely different. How it operates is completely different."

The changes aren't a secret, even in the slightest. As the scope of NIL has greatly benefited the programs that already had ample resources, while others, such as Texas Tech, have made strides to enter the arms race. The lack of regulation within the transfer portal before the 2026 cycle has also resulted in continuous turnover.

Arizona State has likely experienced the brunt of the modern business, as Leavitt is poised to enter the portal and find a new home after two fruitful seasons in Tempe.

On the bright side, Dillingham has done an exceptional job when it comes to retaining assistant coaches, successfully recruiting high-level high school talents, and curating a culture that is undoubtedly built to last in the long term.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.