Arizona State’s head coach, Kenny Dillingham, has finalized a five-year contract extension just ahead of the Sun Devils’ upcoming College Football Playoff quarterfinal clash. This development was confirmed by a source familiar with the circumstances, who requested anonymity due to the absence of an official announcement regarding the deal.
The contract will bring Dillingham a raise along with noteworthy increases in bonuses, as noted by the insider on Tuesday evening. ESPN originally broke the news of the contract extension.
At just 34 years old, Dillingham has engineered a remarkable turnaround for the team, elevating the No. 10 Sun Devils from a mere three wins last season to a prestigious New Year’s Day Peach Bowl matchup against the formidable No. 4 Texas team.
Dillingham’s successful leadership has already netted him considerable bonuses during Arizona State’s impressive run this season, which featured a Big 12 championship in their debut year in the league, defying predictions that had them finishing at the bottom of the standings.
Previously the offensive coordinator at Oregon, Dillingham was the youngest head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) when he assumed control of the troubled Arizona State program at the age of 33 last year. His first season was marred by significant injuries, and the team was also dealing with the ramifications of an NCAA investigation related to recruitment practices associated with former head coach Herm Edwards.
Dillingham’s infectious enthusiasm and strategic acumen led the team to achieve six consecutive victories, securing their spot in the CFP for the first time in the program’s history. A key move in his strategy was acquiring quarterback Sam Leavitt from the transfer portal, in addition to making full use of running back Cam Skattebo, who notably finished fifth in this year’s Heisman Trophy voting.
