Arizona State football is off to an impressive 3-0 start, already matching last season’s win total, but head coach Kenny Dillingham is making sure his team stays focused.
Since stepping into his role in November 2022, Dillingham has been laser-focused on rebuilding the program he grew up watching. Despite a rocky beginning, ASU’s path now seems to be moving in a positive direction for the first time in years.
Three voters in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll even ranked the Sun Devils, a sign of growing recognition. But with the team set to play its first Big 12 conference game on the road against Texas Tech this weekend, Dillingham remains determined to keep his players grounded.
“You get buy-in with success,” Dillingham emphasized on Monday. “It’s a lot easier than it is to continue to try to preach on the dream or what should happen if you work hard. The negative is the expectations. People get unrealistic expectations with success as part of being in the entertainment industry. You entertain, people get excited, excitement creates expectations, expectations create pressure. Then you lose your edge.”
He added: “The key is, we’re the same team that we were before we played a game. We’re the same team we were in spring, in the fall. We’ve played a few games. That’s really about it. We’re the same team that needs to keep on getting better and better. The best opponents we’ve faced this year are in our future, not in our past. We have to get better every single week if we want to continue to have fun Saturdays.”
ASU’s recent victory, a 31-28 win over Texas State, tested the Sun Devils’ resolve. With just over five minutes left in the first half, ASU found themselves down 21-7 but managed to rally and tie the game before halftime.
Dillingham described the game as “humbling,” a reminder that they still have work to do.
Now, with Big 12 conference play ahead, Dillingham is leaning into the historic significance of the upcoming matchup.
“This is the first Big 12 game; this will go down literally in history,” he said. “There’s only one game that’s a first. Very few times do you get to accomplish a first. Like a real first. It’ll be remembered forever as Arizona State’s first Big 12 game.”
This also marks Dillingham’s first trip to Lubbock, and he’s eager to experience one of Texas Tech’s unique traditions: the throwing of tortillas. While the origins of the tradition remain unclear, it’s something he’s excited to witness.
“I’m excited for the tortillas — I’ve heard there’s tortillas that get thrown around,” Dillingham said. “This is a challenge, but it’s what college football is supposed to be. We walk out underneath the band is where I’m told our entrance is. A college band on the road, it’s going to be loud. Their fans are die-hard fans. It’s going to be an unbelievable environment for our guys to play in, and that’s the exciting part about joining the Big 12, is the environments we play in.”
As the Sun Devils prepare for this milestone game, Dillingham’s focus remains on progress and keeping expectations in check.
