After an upset 24-14 win on the road over then-No. 16 Kansas State, the Sun Devils woke up Sunday morning to a No. 21 ranking next to their name for the first time this year and the first time in the Kenny Dillingham era. ASU's head coach is not one to not pay mind to the media narratives, as the media at large is also the one that predicted in the preseason for the Sun Devils to finish last in the Big 12. His focus is more centered on the game ahead, a marquee matchup against No. 14 BYU that has major Big 12 Championship Game implications.
“It’s so comical to me. I could not care less,” Dillingham said. “The only thing it’s positive for is recruiting. There was a 1,000-person (ASU students) wait line for tickets this morning, but that should be every single game. The process for the valley to be able to experience an unbelievable college football environment on Saturday is what we need to get people bought back into here.”
Although he blocks out the noise, Dillingham still ensures his players see the good and bad press the team receives. He noted that since the players are on their phones way more than him and are fully aware of what is being said, yet he continues to place the chip on the team’s shoulder as the Sun Devils have thrived all season as the underdogs.
“I show the guys everything that’s being said,” Dillingham remarked. “I don’t avoid it or try to trick them, so whatever people are saying, I show them. Let’s not hide from what people are saying; let’s approach it. What matters is maximizing the day and repeating it, so I try to do that through honesty.”
Dillingham is one of the more active coaches on X, formerly known as Twitter. After every game, win or lose, he can be seen tweeting, “It’s a great day to be a Sun Devil!” Dillingham tries to use social media for his players more than himself, possibly opening them up to NIL opportunities that normally wouldn’t present themselves.
“I try to use it to brand our player’s narratives,” Dillingham mentioned. “I don’t use it for myself or any personal thing. You never know when someone sees something and tries to create an NIL connection through it. I know that if you don’t put things out there for the guys, they’re not going to get anything. I’m just trying to do my part in trying to help them and see if we can shake some trees.”
Ticket prices for Saturday’s game against BYU have skyrocketed as upper level seats are being priced at the $300-dollar range, for a Top 25 matchup will certainly be circled on the calendars of many across the country. With BYU hailing from Utah, the state directly north of Arizona, the Cougars’ fan base bleeds down into Tempe very well. Dillingham asked ASU fans to double-check the team allegiance for any possible buyers for their tickets.
“If you have tickets and you’re an ASU fan, make sure they go to ASU fans,” Dillingham pronounced. “If you’re selling it or giving it away, make them show you an ASU hat or something in order to get that ticket. The environment when those guys run out of the tunnel is real. I can’t wait for them to hit their first third down and the place just erupts. It’s going to be exciting.”
Reflecting on the upset win over Kansas State, ASU started the gates hot and never looked back. On the second play of the game, they intercepted sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson and got out to an early 14-0 lead. While this was a picture-perfect start for ASU, Dillingham was pleased with the period from midway in the first quarter through midway in the second quarter, where the team struggled on the road in its two losses.
“Our guys were dialed in,” Dillingham stated. “It’s amazing what momentum does when you make a great play on the second play of the game and the rest was history. That was a game-changing play from a momentum perspective, and the best thing that we did was the next drive we held them on fourth and one and then scored. We weren’t starting slow in games; it was that middle portion, and we cleaned that up in this game.”
Saturday is also Senior Day for the Sun Devils, as they’ll honor any players before the game who will be playing their last game in the maroon and gold at home. Eligibility years with redshirts, among other factors, have blurred the lines for some players, such as graduate guard Ben Coleman. Dillingham wants to keep the day special for his players and will meet with the Pat Tillman Leadership Council this week to discuss who to bring on the field pregame for the ceremony.
“The game is so much different now with how many years of eligibility people have,” Dillingham voiced. “At this stage, you should have a pretty good clue of what you want to do, so I want to prevent somebody from walking on a senior day and then coming back next year and doing it again. You should know the last time you’ll ever wear a helmet in this stadium, and I want to keep that.”
One of the players who had already decided that this year would be his final is redshirt senior center Leif Fautanu. He’s been a key part of the dominant run game for the Sun Devils and has rushed for 1,905 yards, but his impact has reached much further than the field. His commitment to the community and his team earned him a spot on the Leadership Council, as he embodies what it means to be a Sun Devil.
“His consistency is remarkable,” Dillingham recognized. “He’s the same person every single day, and he shows up, works hard, and he’s a good person. He loves football and has a lot of fun, and he’s what the program wants to be about. To see him go through this is awesome, and he’s going to have a very successful life in whatever he chooses to do.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt earned another Big 12 Newcomer of the Week award for his performance against Kansas State, and his favorite target sophomore receiver, Jordyn Tyson, joined him on the award list. His career-high 12 catches and 176 receiving yards won him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season, putting the two’s connection on full display.
“It’s amazing that you get selfish awards when teams win,” Dillingham remarked. “You get drafted and awards when you’re on a winning team, but you don’t get those things when you’re on a losing team. In order to be selfish, you actually have to sacrifice for the good of the team. I think it’s a great testament that our guys have bought into the team mentality because nobody’s out there playing this game selfishly on our team right now.”
BYU is led by head coach Kalani Sitake, who has propelled the Cougars to a 9-1 record after finishing the 2023 season 5-7. While both sides of the ball improved, the defense has been the best in the Big 12, allowing just 313 total yards per game. Sitake has not only turned the team around numbers-wise but has also created a buy-in from his players similar to what Dillingham has preached about all season long.
“He’s one of the best defensive minds in football,” Dillingham explained. “He’s definitely in the top three of the best people in the profession. You would want your child to play for him because you can just see his energy and connection with the players. He’s a phenomenal football coach, he’s done an incredible job, and I think his guys really believe in him.”
The single blemish on BYU’s record came last week in a heartbreaking loss at home to Kansas 17-13. The Cougars were driving down the field with just a couple minutes left in the fourth quarter but were held short on a fourth down inside the red zone that allowed the Jayhawks to run the clock out.
The Cougars will likely march into Tempe with a fire lit under them after their potent offense put up just 13 points. A game like this will be won in the margins and on the mental side of the game, and Dillingham knows his team will need to put last week’s win in the rearview mirror to focus solely on beating the opponent in front of them.
“They’re very close to being undefeated in the season,” Dillingham noted. “It’s a great challenge for our guys, especially at home, coming off an emotional win, and they’re coming off an emotional loss. They’ll probably have some more piss and vinegar in them, so they definitely have an advantage when it comes to mindset based on last week’s game.”
Dillingham and the rest of ASU athletics have called on fans to show up and make Mountain America Stadium one of the best environments all season long. This week, the fans hold an immense amount of power to put their passion and fandom on display in a game where Dillingham feels there are no excuses not to be there.
“It’s good for us that we’re playing meaningful football in November,” Dillingham expressed. “The weather is so nice here, and who wouldn’t want to be at the game? Where else would you want to be than at Mountain America Stadium? That’s why ticket prices are so high because we live in the best city in America. I’m excited to see all the tailgating because I think we’re going to have a great turnout outside as well.”
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