Kenny Dillingham Speaks on Future of ASU Football After Loss

The Sun Devils are set to embark on a fascinating offseason, but still have immense upside under Dillingham's leadership.

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham walks the field prior to a game against Arizona at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, on Nov. 28, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State's 2025 season ended in gut-wrenching fashion, as Kenny Dillingham's third season ended with a 42-39 defeat at the hands of the ACC champions in the Duke Blue Devils.

The 8-5 record the program posted in 2025 is a far-cry from the 11-win campaign that was put together previously, but the belief that something special is being built still remains.

Dillingham spoke about the five-loss campaign, as well as the ultimate trajectory of the program following the game - interjecting a wise mindset in the midst of a less-than-idea result.

Arizona State head football coach Kenny Dillingham watches folklórico dancers perform as they arrive at the Atlantic FBO Hangar in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, ahead of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dillingham Believes in Natural Program Growth

"You're gonna have valleys and lows when you climb. It's not just a rocket ship to the moon. That's not reality, right? Eventually you're going to reset yourself, because things are going to happen, but the goal is to create a valley, right? That's higher than it's ever been, and I think this team has set a valley higher than it was when they got here, significantly higher.

Now our job is to continue to raise that and raise that and raise that kind of minimum standard in the program. So I couldn't be more proud of these guys. These guys are literally going to be able to look back as long as I'm here and say 'man, we were the beginning of this.' That's pretty cool."

Dillingham is wise and recognizes that growth isn't linear. The increase from three wins to 11 - which was followed by an eight-win campaign is natural in the world of college football, and really sports as a whole.

The plateau of becoming Big 12 champions again and competing in the College Football Playoff clearly remains the standard, but various factors will likely prevent that from being a yearly occurrence. The standard being gradually raised by Dillingham and staff is an absolute positive despite the aftermath of an eight-win season coming off as a disappointment at the surface.

What's Next for ASU?

Dillingham and staff are going to have to hit the transfer portal running as of today - players that stated intentions to enter are now officially able to do so, as well as being eligible to take visits.

The program will likely add north of 20 players in the portal - with quarterback, kicker, offensive line spots, defensive end, cornerback, and wide receiver being amonst the top of the list as far as emphasis is concerned.

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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