Throughout Kenny Dillingham’s short tenure as the Arizona State football head coach, there has been one consistent theme: competition.
It is the fundamental building block of the culture Dillingham is working to instill in Tempe. Whether it comes to something as trivial as competing against his players in Madden, or as impactful as bringing in transfers to compete for starting jobs, competition is at the front and center of the program’s culture.
However, in an era where athletes have the ultimate freedom to jump to different programs, some coaches are hesitant to instill as much pressure on starters as Dillingham.
“I’m not going to concede defeat to the portal and the world that we’re in,” Dillingham said. “It’s still about competition.”
This strong culture has become especially critical amid some key contributors transferring out of the program.
Over two days, Arizona State not only lost its highest-profile recruit in the Kenny Dillingham era in redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada but also its leading pass catcher over the past two seasons in redshirt senior Elijhah Badger.
Nonetheless, Dillingham remains confident in his team because of this culture of competitiveness that he has built, which has cultivated improved depth on the roster, especially in the two position groups that took a hit from the transfers.
He reiterated that no starting job is safe and that he will continue to bring in recruits and players from the transfer portal who are capable of being starters.
“I’m never going to bring in a guy and say listen you’re going to be depth,” Dillingham said. “The guys that are here are going to compete and nothing is going to be handed to them.”
This mentality explains why the Sun Devils brought in redshirt freshman Michigan State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt. The former Big Ten field general has spent the spring impressing the Sun Devil coaching staff after a disappointing first season in East Lansing.
Leavitt saw limited action last year for the embattled Spartans but displayed flashes of potential with his dual-threat ability to extend drives with his legs and find open receivers on broken plays.
The now presumed starter has shown steady improvement throughout spring ball and has developed a strong connection with many pass catchers in the wide receiver room.
The relationship works both ways. Dillingham has had success with quarterbacks at every stop he’s made. His quarterbacks know if they buy into what the young head coach is selling, he will reward them with the knowledge and freedom they seek.
“It’s quarterback-friendly,” Leavitt said. “That’s the reason I came here. I get to control the offense.”
Although he may be in line to be the starter ASU’s season opener for now, Dillingham remains committed to staying true to his philosophy and plans to bring in competition for the starting job through the portal.
“Like I told him, we’re bringing in somebody to beat your butt out,” Dillingham said.
This aggressiveness in the portal has translated over to the wide receiver room. Despite the loss of a top talent, the group still boasts an impressive array of talent.
Returners such as redshirt seniors Troy Omerie and Xavier Guillory will have to step up as leaders with the loss of Badger, but the key to the group’s success this season may hinge on the play of two 2023 transfers who were unable to see the field last season because of injuries and ineligibility issues.
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordan Tyson has already emerged as a potential favorite target for Leavitt and has already displayed a consistent ability to create explosive plays downfield.
“Jordan is a great player. I just have to find him down the field,” Leavitt said.
In his freshman season, Tyson amassed 470 receiving yards, averaged 21.4 yards per reception and led a porous 1-11 Colorado team in receiving.
Meanwhile, former Gatorade player of the year, redshirt senior Jake Smith, also figures to play a critical role in the receiving game for the Sun Devils this season.
Smith has battled injuries and has not played in a game since the 2020 season, making him hungrier than ever to put together a productive season.
Even with the departure of Badger, new wide receiver coach Hines Ward will have plenty of difficult decisions this offseason as this deep group of receivers competes for starting jobs.
After this offseason, it is clear that Coach Dillingham has successfully integrated his culture into the program.
He is optimistic that this culture will lead to a roster that is fully bought in and ready to compete with some of the top teams in the Big 12.
“If you don’t love to compete and you’re one toe in, you have no chance to reach your potential,” Dillingham said. “But if we have a football team that’s all in [with] every single person, every single day, everybody’s going to become a multiplier.”
Year one of the Kenny Dillingham era was anything but smooth, but with a sound culture now in place, the squad hopes to take the next leap into returning to relevance.
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