​FRISCO, TX — Michigan was on the line, interrupting dinner. When the meal was in Arizona, at the fashionable Fat Ox in Scottsdale, where the menu features a 25-layer lasagna and boutique cuts of prime beef, it seemed almost certain that it was a family gathering for Dillingham. A Valley native, Dillingham notes that his sister lives next door, and his parents are four houses further down the same quiet neighborhood street. For him, assistants and staff alike often feel like family; in his eyes, Arizona State’s vibrant 36-year-old head coach is barely 18 months removed from issuing a $200,000 performance bonus to Sun Devils football’s support staff.
Thus, Dillingham answering a call in the middle of a meal isn’t something to be dismissed, especially when Michigan representatives are calling with a framework that could push the program into a coaching transition after Sherrone Moore’s tumultuous dismissal in Ann Arbor. “That’s good intel; I know exactly who was at that dinner at the Fat Ox,” Dillingham told USA TODAY Sports exclusively at Big 12 Conference Media Days. “Great opportunity; Michigan found the perfect guy for them. They really did, because Kyle Whittingham, the former Utah head coach, is somebody that I’ve looked up to.”
Whittingham is among the names Dillingham recalls weighing during Michigan’s high-stakes pursuit of the ASU alum whose national ascent began when the Sun Devils posted 11 wins, captured the Big 12 championship, and advanced to a College Football Playoff appearance in the 2024 season. “I actually called him early in the (Michigan) process to talk to him about his choices and his family and the things he would never sacrifice,” Dillingham says, speaking from a suite overlooking the Star at the Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters.
Still, make no mistake: Dillingham’s focus remains squarely on elevating Arizona State football in every facet. Facilities are improving; the program is deliberately aggressive in the transfer portal (notable examples include ex-Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley, among others); and players are being developed into NFL talents, such as No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson. “I’ve told our athletic director, Graham (Rossini), and president (Michael M. Crow), that as long as we show we’re advancing, I want our program to continue moving forward,” Dillingham says. He took the helm after Herm Edwards’ tenure ended in NCAA sanctions, a period that left the program with significant ground to regain.
“We came from so low four years ago. We were essentially at rock bottom, almost as bad as it could get in college sports, or very close to it. All I wanted was to show improvement every year, and not just the kind of improvement where everyone claims progress. We had to bridge the gap—drive real, measurable advancement that moves our entire program forward.” Even while he remains content in the Valley, Dillingham’s restlessness is clear, driven by a relentless pursuit of better outcomes and a continually rising trajectory for ASU football.