Kenny Dillingham is resetting how aggressive ASU is on fourth downs due to 1 key factor

TEMPE — Kenny Dillingham was aggressive by nature long before he became the head coach at Arizona State, and it’s hard to imagine that changing anytime soon.

While there are plays like an onside kick 94 seconds into a matchup with an FCS opponent that ASU was already leading 7-0 that show that aggressiveness explicitly, it also sticks out how often the Sun Devils go for it on fourth downs, where they’ve been very effective.

Only seven teams nationally had more fourth-down attempts in 2024 (14th in total conversions) and only 11 had more in 2025 (10th in conversions).

The “go rate” remains high this season at 3.3 attempts per game, but Dillingham said Monday his thinking may be shifting around situations that arise near opposing territory because of punter Nick McLarty.

“His ability to pin punt in situations around midfield is a game changer,” Dillingham said. “Everybody knows I’m an aggressive, go-for-it guy. But when you have the ability to pin a team inside their seven (or) five consistently there, how do you not take that? Like, how do you take a chance on fourth-and-2 or -3?

“Maybe you do depending on the flow of the game and what it’s like, but dang. Like, that’s a real weapon for us. I couldn’t be more pleased with how he’s played up to this point and hopefully that continues.”

McLarty had a big hand in swinging ASU’s most recent game against Kansas in its favor when he pinned the Jayhawks at their two-yard line with less than a minute left in the first half.

The Sun Devils forced a quick three-and-out and benefited from the ensuing shanked punt by Kansas, paying it off with a 25-yard touchdown pass that gave ASU the lead after a very sloppy half. Jaren Hamilton’s kickoff return for a touchdown on the other side of halftime cemented the swing that McLarty started.

It likely wasn’t a situation where Dillingham was considering going for it, since the Sun Devils needed 18 yards for a first down while inside Kansas territory, but seeing McLarty execute the play could be a huge source of confidence for the coach, as well as the punter himself.

That was the only inside-20 pin the punt team has under its belt so far, but McLarty has had other candidates:

• First punt against Kansas hit the ground at the nine near the corner of the field and rolled through the end zone because the coverage team couldn’t find it
• Cory Butler Jr. was mere inches away from corralling a punt at the one before a replay review revealed it crossed the plane for a touchback
• Two that were fair caught at the 20- and 22-yard lines, just a few yards away from counting in the inside-20 stat
• One that McLarty booted from ASU’s 37 and hit the ground at Texas A&M’s three before rolling through the end zone

asu punter nick mclarty got a lot of love from kenny dillingham today, and rightfully so.

everybody remembers the huge pin punt he had at the end of the first half against kansas to swing things, but they’re real close to making these consistently dangerous, as seen here: pic.twitter.com/KsKJDTnsRw

— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) September 28, 2026

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound McLarty had just three punts over his previous two seasons at Ohio State, but Dillingham said his prior experience as an Australian rugby player gave him enough savvy to adjust against a different kind of punt block that Kansas threw.

“People may laugh, but this is a duel of punters this week. Their punter is phenomenal, and he’s probably the best in the country. Nick, I think, is one of the best in the country, he (just) doesn’t have enough games,” Dillingham said. “That’s going to be one of the hidden things in this game is the hidden yardage exchanged.

“I mean, their guy can kick it 55 yards, and you don’t field it and it goes for 60 and you thought you were going to get the ball on the 35 and you’re on your own 18-yard line. So I think that’s one of the underlying things in this football game is the field position between two punters who I think are two of the top.”

Baylor’s Palmer Williams is a game-changer in his own right, pinning opponents inside their 20 five times on 14 punts so far this season. He only had one touchback and 11 inside-20 across 27 punts last season, and he posted a staggering career-best boot of 79 yards the year before.

The field position swings — and when both teams choose to go for fourth downs instead — will be a huge factor in ASU’s first game since a bye week, staring down nine straight weeks of football.

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