Kenny Dillingham does not care about ASU football getting votes in the AP poll

TEMPE — Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on Monday made it clear he does not care even a little bit about the Sun Devils’ standing in The Associated Press’ Top 25 poll.

In the latest update on Sunday, ASU received the third-most points among others receiving votes for the proverbial No. 28 spot.

“I really don’t care. I mean I truly don’t care. The only thing that could possibly make me care is recruits may care,” Dillingham said. “I don’t even talk about … records ever. Never have, never will.”

kenny dillingham today said he really does not care about the ap poll at all because he’s focused on the day-to-day process: pic.twitter.com/Msr82SG703

— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) October 14, 2024

Dillingham said his focus is on the process it takes to win, which was emphasized by Phoenix Suns legend and guest speaker Steve Nash in a team meeting on Monday.

While ASU’s win over then-No. 16 Utah on Friday didn’t catapult the Sun Devils into the Top 25 the way some thought it may, the head coach said it proved to him ASU headed in the right direction.

“I definitely think it shows the direction that our team is heading, but we have a long way to go just in general before we can be that program. That’s years away of stability,” Dillingham said.

He downplayed the national attention that came from such a win as well as the viral postgame with an old cliché: you fall way faster than you climb.

“Fumble the ball once, Skat, see what happens. Us lose the game, Kenny, see what happens,” he said. “That’s the nature of the world that we’re in.”

Dillingham gives injury updates on RB Raleek Brown, others

Running back Raleek Brown, who has the upside to be the lightning to Cam Skattebo’s thunder in the ground game, will miss Saturday’s game against Cincinnati, Dillingham said.

Brown was inactive for the win over Utah after reaggravating a hamstring injury that has bothered him for much of the season.

Dillingham said there’s no reason to push Brown to play Saturday against Cincinnati when there’s a bye week coming after giving him some extra time to get right.

The head coach left the door open for two defenders, linebacker Tate Romney and defensive lineman Justin Wodtly, to show this week they’re ready to get back on the field.

“More than likely, I’d say they’d be out. But we haven’t really run around yet this week, so there hasn’t been like a real assessment,” Dillingham said. “Maybe you get a Wodtly back or maybe you get a Tate back … depending on how they feel.”

Wodtly, who has added significantly to the defensive front when healthy, would be facing the team he played for the previous four years in Cincinnati. He was there when the Bearcats were a playoff team in 2021.

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