Arizona State Coach Clarifies What Happened During Michigan Saga
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TEMPE -- The seemingly never-ending saga of rumors that linked third-year Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham to other head coaching vacancies is now over.
The 35-year old head coach agreed to an amended five-year contract on Saturday morning that reportedly included an increased pool of funding for assistant coaches to north of $11 million - per Pete Thamel of ESPN.
This ends ample speculation that Dillingham was one of the top targets to fill a job that opened up just a week and a half ago - the 2024 Big 12 Coach of the Year got honest about the saga following Saturday's practice in anticipation for the December 31 Sun Bowl against Duke.
Dillingham Gets Honest About Michigan Opening
Dillingham clarified that he was never officially offered the position, while also acknowledging that his agent did receive a call from the school - as is customary during the process.
"I think every time these things open, like my agent, everybody talks to everybody like, that's how that process works, from that perspective. But for me, I never got offered a job. None of that ever, ever happened, and it never got to that point. Michigan is an unbelievable job, with unlimited resources, with people who will do whatever they can to make it successful, who want to see it succeed, somebody's going to get an unbelievable opportunity, the same as the thing I said a week ago, an unbelievable opportunity to take over one of the best programs in the country, who are resources, one of the best programs in the country."
The belief had been that Dillingham was posturing during the entire process to receive further concessions from university leadership - the key decision makers were apparently ready to step up to the plate to keep the rising star in Tempe long-term.
What's Next for Dillingham?
Dillingham is now set to retain the vast majority of his assistant coaches and support staff - he admitted as much during the same availability. Beyond the increase in salary pool for coaches is preparations for the season-closing Sun Bowl against Duke on December 31 - a game in which the Sun Devils will seek to come out on top in to secure a 20th win since the beginning of the 2024 season.
Preparing for the transfer portal officially opening on January 2 will also be of primary interest - the Sun Devils are expected to add between 18 to 20 players fromother programs in the coming weeks.
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.