Speculation about ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham has become silent on the issue of his future. But last week, the coach personally told players that he would be returning to the Sun Devils in the 2026 season, multiple sources close to the negotiations confirmed. It was announced prior to ASU overcoming Iowa State 24-19 on Saturday.
Although recently, Dillingham has been associated with several high-profile Power Four vacancies, most famously, Auburn and Florida. Dillingham went out of his way to visit several position group meetings to articulate his position.
One of the parents of an ASU defensive player said that Dillingham walked into the meeting room and told the players that he would stay with the program and that the normal operations would go on. This message was distributed to other position groups and was discussed by players among themselves.
The reassured leadership of Dillingham had come before one of the most memorable performances of the program of the season. ASU was able to claim victory through a substitute quarterback as senior player Jeff Sims took the place and won the AP Player of the Week and Big 12 Co-Offensive Play of the Week awards.
Florida, which parted ways with former ASU offensive coordinator Billy Napier on Oct. 19, is among the programs with interest in Dillingham, according to individuals familiar with its coaching search. Nevertheless, these sources also reported that there have been no talks between Dillingham and the Gators.
Dillingham is greatly attached to Arizona State. He was a Scottsdale native who was an ASU graduate and the first former Sun Devil player or student to become the head coach of the program.
He has earlier indicated that he has always wanted to be in charge of the program over the decades, and he reiterated this after the last season when the team made a surprise trip to the Big 12 championship.
Dillingham and his wife, Briana, currently have one son and are expecting their second child early next year, further rooting the family in the Valley.