Sirri Kandiyeli talks Sun Devil pledge
When he was hired, one of the goals of new ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham was quite simple: keep as many in-state players close to home playing for the hometown team. Mesa Mountain View offensive lineman Sirri Kandiyeli was, ironically, a prospect that was well on ASU’s radar for several months prior to Dillingham’s hire. Nonetheless, the new Arizona State was more than happy to accept the commitment of this lifelong ASU fan.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Kandiyeli remarked on his Friday commitment. “I grew up watching this ASU team; I had family that had season tickets. I’m living out a childhood dream of mine, and it feels surreal. I got my offer from them last March. I was so excited getting the offer from (former offensive line coach) Mike Kavanaugh, and after that was thinking to myself, ‘wow, that really happened.’ He told me that I’m a very athletic lineman who can do a lot of different things. The versatility was the big thing for him. He wanted me to start at center and just see where things go from there.
“After Herm Edwards was fired was one of the first times I went to see one of their games. (Interim Head) Coach Aguano made it a point to come out before the game and tell me personally that he wanted me to play for ASU. That feeling of being wanted and cherished by the coaching staff was a great way to continue and build that relationship. Coach Aguano called me the first day coach Dillingham was hired, and he (Dillingham) told me that the staff was still fired up about me and they wanted me to be the first commitment (under Dillingham) to the school.”
Air Force, New Mexico State, Harvard, and Cornell were the other schools that offered the lineman, and he admitted that he did give all of his suitors a long look before he decided to pledge to the hometown team.
“ASU checked all the boxes after I felt comfortable about the coaching situation,” Kandiyeli stated. “That was the last piece I was missing, and when that got all sorted out, then I could look at my options and know that ASU was the best fit for me. I trust what this staff is doing and that they will pick the right guy to develop me and the rest of the offensive linemen in the future. I liked the bigger market school that was also close to home.
“I always had fun watching ASU on TV. But seeing a game in person is a whole different feeling. Seeing the marching band come out in the fork formation, the entrance video… it’s just all phenomenal and just unrivaled, in my opinion.”
Kandiyeli, who is planning to sign this month but only enroll in the summer, acknowledged that as excited as he is to be a Sun Devil that he also knows that young offensive linemen such as himself have to be patient in the transition to the college game and allow the necessary rate of development to take place before he can realistically be a contributor on Saturdays.
“I have no issue with redshirting and taking my time to develop,” Kandiyeli commented. “I know there is a lot of room for me to grow. I’ve always thrived under conditions where if I put my mind to something, I can accomplish what I need to accomplish. If I work hard, there’s no reason why I can’t accomplish what I need.
“Taking my time to develop and learn the system will only benefit me.”
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