Breaking Down Kenny Dillingham's Friday Media Availability
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TEMPE -- Kenny Dillingham is just over two weeks away from leading his 11th-ranked Arizona State team into the first game of the 2025 season.
Dillingham has everything in place to repeat what was accomplished in 2024 - a coaching staff that virtually returned in its entirety, a roster that returns 17 starting players, and a transfer portal class that should, in theory, supplement what was lost from last season's squad.
The head coach continued the trend of speaking to the media after every fall practice session on Friday - there was still much to take from the talk despite it running a bit brief compared to what is typically seen.
Some of the best soundbites of the four minute talk - with some commentary is to follow:
On picking up good habits, simulating game situations ahead of the season opener:
"At this point, we're going to transition, starting tomorrow, into you have to treat every rep like a game. Did you celebrate the new rules? Right? You can't do anything that simulates a weapon, right? So let's not show anything that could be violent in itself, but anything that's close, right?"
"Don't do it. Right? If you celebrate, find a teammate with somebody to celebrate with, somebody you know, cheap shots you which they shouldn't do, don't retaliate. So we're gonna really challenge our guys as last two and a half weeks, two weeks and one day actually,.."
The Sun Devils are set to scrimmage on Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium in what will be a simulation of a live game. The Arizona State squad is well-connected and typically stays composed, but it's always positive to stay on the same page operationally.
The team will obviously be able to weather mistakes made against Northern Arizona, but they will undoubtedly need to be sharp against Mississippi State the following week as well.
On the TE group:
We have one of the deeper tight end groups that I've had in my career. This kind of reminds me of my year at Oregon... I mean, we had, we were absolutely, I mean, loaded. We had four and five tight ends there and it kind of reminds me of them."
Chamon Metayer returns as a 2024 All-Big 12 team recipient and one of the most secure red zone targets in the nation. AJ Ia is a wildly talented incoming freshman who has arguably already earned playing time from the start of the season.
Khamari Anderson has built a strong connection with Sam Leavitt throughout the offseason, while Cameron Harpole has been an unheralded member of the room, specifically having a strong day of practice on Friday.
Jason Mohns has truly cultivated a tight end group that is strong, explosive, aware, and willing to do the little things that contribute to victory.
On Ben Coleman switching between center and guard:
"I mean, both those guys can snap. We're rotating constantly to try to get the best five, and something were to happen this season, what's the new best time and what's the new best five? So we're just making sure that we're ready that's good, better and better with some of the schemes that we do in terms of only asking the pass pro, and some of the play actions that he's running, the angles he's going personal to seeking fights, really good veterans with the ones, so he's
gotten better."
Coleman has been slated to move to center the entire offseason, but has recently started to line up at guard. Dillingham has been frequently alluding to the necessity of finding the 'best five' for the offensive line, with Coleman making up one of the five. The spot he will accompany is clearly still in the air, but the coaching staff should be able to figure things out in full before Big 12 play begins on September 20.
Watch the full exchange between Dillingham and media when you click here.
Read ASU on SI's exclusive interview with Jordyn Tyson here, and on where Sam Leavitt lands on the NIL merchandise sales leaderboard here.
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.