Kenny Dillingham Unveils Plan at Quarterback, Talks Duke QB
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TEMPE -- The 8-4 Arizona State Sun Devils now know their ultimate postseason fate after a Sunday reveal - the team will close out the 2025 campaign in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec 31 against the ACC champion Duke Blue Devils.
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham spoke with the media on Monday afternoon to discuss the upcoming matchup, as organized by Sun Bowl leadership.
Two of the most intriguing topics surrounding the rematch of the 2014 game are built around who would start at quarterback for the Sun Devils, as well as the quarterback that Duke will be rolling out for the contest.
Jeff Sims Will Start Sun Bowl
Dillingham confirmed that the senior will wrap up his collegiate career on New Year's Eve in El Paso - pointing to the 3-1 record that Sims accrued this season after being tabbed as the full-time starter at the position.
"100%. Now we may have some packages with Cam (Dyer) in there to see him rocking and rolling, but 100% you know Jeff Sims as a full-time starter for us is three and one. That's pretty good. So I got a lot of faith in Jeff. Jeff's worked his butt off here. Yeah, Jeff is going to be our starter."
The potential for packages for the freshman Dyer - a four-star recruit in the 2025 class - is fascinating, as the talented passer was cleared to return to game action within the last month; however, doing Sims justice and rewarding his contributions to the program is the right thing to do in this scenario.
Dillingham is Honest on Duke QB
Arizona State on SI asked Dillingham to give his honest assessment on sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah, who has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation at both Tulane and Duke - the 35-year old head coach gave quite a candid response.
"Yeah, I'm be honest, I haven't watched one bit of film. I could tell you, as a fan, I saw him win the championship, so that's pretty good. He's a back to back champion, so I think he's a winner. To be able to give you, like a scouting report on him, yet, I don't think that would do him justice.
He is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and he's won a lot at different places, so I don't want to give a scouting report yet, like I said, I don't think that do him justice. I just know he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and he wins a lot, and that's usually the most important part of a quarterback is winning."
Mensah has thrown for 52 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions over the first two seasons of his college career, showcasing a versatile repertoire as a passer.
Beyond Mensah, Duke is a team that is likely better than the record would indicate, and head coach Manny Diaz has kept a program that appeared to be in limbo following the departure of former coach Mike Elko to Texas A&M.
Arizona State, Duke Game Information
Arizona State and Duke are set to take part in a rematch of the 2014 Sun Bowl - a game that the Sun Devils won by a score of 36-31 behind four touchdowns from running back Demario Richard.
Duke won the ACC title last Saturday as previously mentioned, coming into this contest with an 8-4 record, while the Sun Devils are seeking to win 20 games across a two-season period for the first time since the 2013-2014 seasons.
Arizona State-Duke is set for a start time of 12 P.M. MST on December 31, and is set to be broadcast nationally via CBS - this will be one of the more intriguing matchups of New Year's Eve.
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.
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.