Kenny Dillingham refuses to abandon Arizona State players entering the transfer portal

December means one of two things for the college football season: Bowl games and the transfer portal. Eight Arizona State players entered the portal Monday, just two days after the Sun Devils won the Big 12 Championship and clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Normally, with no national championship on the line, players will leave their team as soon as entering the portal in order to stay healthy and find a landing spot before Spring practices begin in a few months. Coaches typically encourage that so underclassmen get more reps and experience at a meaningless bowl game.

But for head coach Kenny Dillingham, he wants outgoing transfers to stick around while he and his staff actively help them find a new home. He believes every player has earned the right to stay during the team's playoff run and worry about what's next when the year is officially over.

Kenny Dillingham wants outgoing transfers to stay and participate while looking for new homes

On Monday Dillingham spoke with reporters at a news conference where he was asked about players entering the transfer portal in the midst of the team's preparation for the Peach Bowl, the CFP quarterfinal. He laid out his vision for wanting to still help those who have been around the whole year despite their desire to leave the program.

"Our guys have the opportunity to stay on our football team, and they're like, 'We'll go in at the end,' and I go, 'No, that's not fair to you to go in after our run is over," Dillingham explained. "I want you to have the best opportunity to find a spot. You can go in day one right now, we'll help you find a spot, and stay on our football team if you want to stay on our football team and let's go on this ride together the rest of the way."

It's an admirable notion, even if these players need to be somewhere else in order to thrive there's no reason for anyone to go their separate ways unless absolutely necessary.

Dillingham's generosity as a head coach is demonstrating how great of an atmosphere Arizona State is for young men to be nurtured and grown. That should become a key selling point on the recruiting trail that should sit well with parents of recruits. Dillingham appears to have their best interests in mind while also preparing the team for the most important game of the season to date.