Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham has Fan in Jonathan Gannon

No football coach has seen their national profile take such a drastic positive turn in the last year as much as Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham.

The third-year head man of the Sun Devil program went into last year consistently rated as a bottom-tier coach in the Big 12 conference and amongst the power four schools.

A year changed everything.

Dillingham brought Sam Leavitt to Tempe to start at quarterback, Jordyn Tyson became eligible to play, and Brian Ward was handed a defense that could be much more dynamic in 2024.

The result was a season in which the team went 11-3 and punched a ticket to their first ever College Football Playoff.

The Sun Devils proved themselves in 2024 and have impressed countless individuals across the country, but Dillingham continues to be one of the main stars of the show.

The now 35 year old coach has received respect from every end of the football world - and received more praise earlier this week from another rising star in the coaching world.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon had nothing but positive things to say about Dillingham in a press conference on Tuesday,

"He's got major juice. He's very smart, he thinks about the game in a really unique way."

Gannon and Dillingham have praised each other in the past - both have been tangibly supportive in the past, even meeting up at the 2024 version of Pat's Run.

The culture that Dillingham has built in just a brief period of time cannot be ignored - it actually has to be celebrated.

Returning defensive lineman Zac Swanson hammered down the notion that the Arizona State staff is creating a great culture last week.

"Mainly, I appreciate this staff so much. They do so much for us, and the main thing is, like, they really create a relationship with their players. Like, a lot of times, programs around the country will just kind of treat the players like they're robots, like they're just football players."

"And it's hard to do that. It's hard to be treated like that and not fall out of love with the game. When the coaches really care for you and want the best for you, and in their eyes, you're not just a football player, it really helps improve your mental a lot, and you realize this is a good spot. Like, football's really actually fun."

Read more about the upcoming 2025 team - projecting the offensive starters here, and discussing the most crucial/challenging stretch of the 12-game regular season here.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.