Kenny Dillingham reveals how recruiting pitch has changed with success at Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham has transformed Arizona State in a short period of time. The Sun Devils went from an afterthought in the Big 12 to making the College Football Playoff, where they gave Texas a run for their money.

What do they have in store for an encore? Well, success has changed a ton for Dillingham’s team, as he explained during an appearance on the College GameDay Podcast. From recruiting to bringing fans out to the stadium, Arizona State is trying to take the next step, and everything is a little bit better heading into 2025.

“Way easier,” Dillingham stated, regarding recruiting. “I’ve said it even when we sucked, this is a front-running city. People moved to Scottsdale when they were tired. They go to Scottsdale to vacation and golf on awesome courses for two weeks at a time. It’s a city built off winning. That’s what it is. You’re surrounded by successful people who made it all around the city who are just relaxing, having a good time. They want to go and be at a party, they want to be a part of fun. So when you’re winning, it’s fun.

“Right now, we’re the team that’s winning, and it’s fun. How do we double down on that? Because at the end of the day, I really don’t think there’s many things more fun than a college football game. How do you double down on that fun and that excitement? We say the term, ‘activate the valley,’ and what that means is the dude from Chicago, who didn’t go to Arizona State, who retired out here — how do we get that dude wanting to be at Mountain America Stadium on Saturdays? How do we get that dude to want to do that? That’s where the fun’s at.

“It’s like the Waste Management Open. Golfers don’t always go to that. People who want fun do. We need to attract the fun. I think we’ve done that this year. I think we need to continue to do that. People will always get behind people who play the game with an edge, play the game very hard, play the game with a purpose and a passion behind it. I think people love to see passion, and that’s what separates college sports, that passion. That’s real.

“I hope our team continues to play with that, because I also think it’s one of our secret sauces, that passion and that energy. It’s not always a good reflection at times. You’ve got to be able to control it, including myself. Hence BYU. But there are moments that you got to have somebody help you control that passion.”

At the moment, Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State team is the best show in town. Will that continue in 2025? It remains to be seen, but he’s taken the steps needed to ensure it happens this offseason. It’ll all be settled on the field though.