Kenny Dillingham Discusses Arizona State's Program Mentality

The Sun Devils find a stark balance between working hard and having fun.

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. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Kenny Dillingham has quickly become synonymous with Arizona State football in the two full seasons as head coach of the program.

The reigning Big 12 Coach of the Year has managed to bridge a gap that was created by predecessors - many of whom lacked at least one attribute that held them back from succeeding on a consistent basis.

The additions of talents such as Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson, Xavion Alford, and others through the transfer portal, alongside the masterful approach to filling out a coaching staff that is strong throughout.

The recent success has turned into the 35-year old receiving an incredible amount of attention from across the nation - Dillingham has been very active through various forms of media across the entirety of the offseason

This time Dillingham joined ESPN's 'College Football Live' shortly after his appearance with media at Big 12 Media Days earlier this week - and continued to put in work when it comes to selling Sun Devil football to the general public:

"Yeah, obviously for us, you just can't get focused on what people talk and say about you. Everything is about work, and if you wanna be good at something, you're going to have to work harder than other people. And you're going to have to continue to work harder. So, I think the key is, I got those two guys (Leavitt and Tyson) behind me, the key is those guys back there. The key was those guys putting in the work to wanna be the best versions of themselves that they could possibly be."

"And having fun doing it like you said right now. That's our program, that's our culture, it's two guys that are going to play on Sundays having a ball, getting behind a camera, and just family, and connectivity, and that's what our program is about."

What it’s all about 🗣️

Having more fun, working harder than anyone in the country ‼️

📺: ESPN#ForksUp /// #Big12MediaDays pic.twitter.com/FqdvMjajfU

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) July 8, 2025

The newfound culture at Arizona State has been nearly unanimously praised over the last two seasons and appears to be here to stay as long as Dillingham has a presence in Tempe.

Read more on Sun Devils that are being represented on the All-Big 12 Preseason Team here, and on Leavitt's NIL valuation heading into the new season here.

Please let us know your thoughts on the job Dillingham is doing when it comes to selling the program to those on the outside when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.