Why Kenny Dillingham Decided to Stay at Arizona State

The Sun Devils appear to have their head coach locked in for years to come as of Saturday morning.

Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham reacts during the first quarter against Iowa State in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State fans can take a collective sigh of relief on Saturday morning.

Third-year football head coach Kenny Dillingham has officially agreed to an amended contract with Arizona State as of Saturday morning, officially ending a week-plus of speculation that linked him to the head coaching vacancy at the University of Michigan.

Pete Thamel of ESPN was the first to break the news this morning - two key details were included in the said report below.

"Sources: Kenny Dillingham has signed a new contract at Arizona State, which will average $7.5 million over the course of the deal. The staff salary pool is up to $11 million, which puts it near the top of the Big 12."

Dillingham Received What he Desired

One of Dillingham's most pressing wishes in contract discussions was a bump in salary pool for assistant coaches - making it more simple to retain the crew that has quietly become one of the best and most connected in the country. Dillingham saw how the Todd Graham era unraveled in real time, as he served as a GA from 2014-15 - the lack of ability to retain key assistants was one of the most pronounced factors that resulted in the latter's firing in 2017.

It's unclear as to whether Dillingham will have the authority to hire a general manager for the program in the new deal, although that concession from Arizona State brass would not be shocking. Arizona State insider Chris Karpman has also hinted that a major NIL development is possibly in the works in support of contract negotiations.

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham stands on the sidelines during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Arizona State Will Move Forward

Thamel acknowledged that an Arizona State source opened up about the athletic department realizing that the retention of Dillingham was a top priority, and that committing to the resources he had pleaded for was the correct step to take.

"Per an Arizona State source, as the deal is focused on program resources: 'We have the perfect coach for ASU. We want to give him the tools to do his job the best way possible. That’s giving him resources to put into the staff and program and giving him longevity.'”

Now, the final step of the process is for the Arizona Board of Regents to officially ratify the contract in early 2026 - until then, Dillingham must coach the season-ending Sun Bowl on December 31, as well as begin to put together the final plan of attack for the transfer portal, which is set to open on January 2.

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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