Oregon OC, ASU Alumnus Kenny Dillingham to be named head football coach

Sources familiar with the Arizona State head coaching search told Devils Digest that University of Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who is an ASU alumnus and was part of of the football staff about eight years ago, will be named Arizona State’s next head football coach. An official announcement is expected on Sunday. Dillingham, 32, will be the youngest coach at power five level.

Dillingham is a graduate of Scottsdale Chapparal High School who also served on the Firebirds coaching staff for six years before spending two years at ASU as an offensive analyst under Todd Graham in 2014-15.

Dillingham was offensive coordinator at the power-five level for four years and, despite his young age, has an impressive resume. And you don’t have to look any further than this current season to see his group rank in the top 5 in the Pac-12 in all major offensive statistical categories. Going into Oregon’s contest against Oregon State, the Ducks averaged 511+ yards and 40+ points. Dillingham was also nominated for the Broyles Award, which honors the best assistant coaches in college football.

In 2021, as Florida State’s OC, Dillingham’s offense was among the most explosive in the nation, finishing 18th nationally in plays for 60+ yards (6) and eighth with three TDs. more than 75 yards. The Seminoles were also one of the top teams in the nation in red-zone scoring, converting their last 32 trips to the red zone into points, the second-longest streak in the nation in the 2021 season. In 2020, his unit’s 199.9 rushing yards per game posted, the most in the program since 2016 and 20th nationally among teams that have played at least nine games in 2020.

His 2019 Auburn offense ranked 28th nationally with an average of 33.2 points per game. The Tigers also converted 90% of their possessions from the red zone, third-best in the SEC that season.

Although he needed a group of veteran assistants around him, he was a candidate who has a good relationship with some of ASU’s notable boosters and, as mentioned, resonates strong as the alumnus returns. home to resurrect a program that has fallen on hard times. . Financial support from ASU boosters, not only to the football program but also to the school’s NIL effort, is expected to increase significantly in light of this hire.

Dillingham earns a base salary of $1 million this year. His salary at Tempe is expected to quadruple.