Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham has been a popular name floated as an option for one of the high-profile coaching jobs that have opened up this season.
Dillingham served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Auburn in 2019. The Tigers recently fired head coach Hugh Freeze, and are now on the hunt for their next program leader.
While programs like Auburn, LSU and Penn State are certainly attractive landing spots for a young, up-and-coming coach, it appears Dillingham intends to stay put in Tempe.
According to a report from ASU insider Chris Karpman, Dillingham told several members of the Sun Devils coaching staff that he fully intends to return as the program’s head coach in 2026.
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Dillingham confirmed this report during an appearance on the “Bickley & Marotta” radio show.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Dillingham and he and his wife are both graduates of Arizona State University. In addition to that, he and his wife’s parents both live in the same Tempe neighborhood.
“My next-door neighbor is my sister. My parents live three doors down. My wife’s parents are five doors down,” Dillingham said on Friday. “… So, you know, having the family support here, it’s a really cool thing.”
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After going 3-9 in his first season as Arizona State’s head coach, Dillingham turned the program around with a stellar 11-3 campaign in 2024. The Sun Devils played their way into the first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff before ultimately falling to the Texas Longhorns in overtime.
The reigning Big 12 champions are 6-3 to start the 2025 season, fresh off a conference win over the Iowa State Cyclones this past Saturday.
Dillingham and the Sun Devils are now on bye as they prepare for a Nov. 15 matchup against the West Virginia Mountaineers.