Kenny Dillingham has zero interest in fielding a polite football team. The Arizona State head coach watched his roster brawl through a physical spring practice on Thursday, April 2, and walked away satisfied. He knows exactly what it takes to survive in the modern Big 12, and it does not involve holding back.
The Sun Devils cranked up the intensity during Thursday’s session in Tempe. Multiple scuffles broke out across the field as the offensive and defensive units traded relentless blows during live team periods. But Dillingham expects his players to clash violently between the hashes.
Kenny Dillingham Embraces Conflict in Arizona State Spring Practice
“Relationships aren’t built through roses and candy canes,” Dillingham told reporters after practice. “They’re built through conflict. There has to be arguments, competitive juices vs. each other that you have to make up even though you hated that dude for 30 seconds. That is what a good team is.”
Dillingham understands the intense psychological demands of building a resilient locker room. Players who battle each other in April are far less likely to fracture when a game spirals out of control in November. Arizona State experienced the extreme highs and frustrating lows of college football over the past two seasons.
Dillingham authored a turnaround in 2024, leading the Sun Devils to an 11-3 record, a Big 12 Championship, and a College Football Playoff appearance. The program took a step back in 2025, finishing 8-5 while battling injuries at the quarterback position.
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Now, he is demanding a return to the violent edge that defined his championship squad. The stakes are massive for Dillingham heading into the fall. He recently signed a five-year contract extension in December 2025 that bumps his salary to an average of $7.5 million annually.
In addition, he has to find reliable offensive production to replace NFL-bound stars like wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and running back Raleek Brown. The new offensive pieces are already embracing the physical culture. Former Colorado wide receiver Omarion Miller arrived in Tempe as a highly coveted portal prospect and immediately started mixing it up with the secondary.
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Boston College transfer Reed Harris offers a massive 6-foot-4 target who thrives in contested-catch situations where physicality is mandatory. However, the task is uphill; Arizona State has a 22% chance to make the College Football Playoff, per PFSN’s CFB Playoff Meter.
