State of the Sun Devils Podcast: AD Rossini says ASU progressing on Kenny Dillingham extension

ASU football and head coach Kenny Dillingham are getting closer on a contract extension, athletic director Graham Rossini told the State of the Sun Devils Podcast on Friday.

“It’s progressing,” Rossini said. “There’s a mutual commitment that he wants to be a Sun Devil for life. We want to do everything we can to make him a Sun Devil for life.”

Dillingham on Thursday was named Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the biggest year-to-year turnaround in ASU history, going from 3-9 a season ago to a 10-2 regular season this year with a Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday.

A win there, and the Sun Devils are in the College Football Playoff.

“As we wind down the season, we’ll have that conversation with coach on the next steps and what makes sense there,” Rossini said, as Dillingham remains focused on Iowa State.

“Our thought process — and coach has been a part of it as well — is let’s retain the staff, first and foremost. Let’s be ready for retaining the roster and being aggressive in the portal on the pieces that we need,” Rossini continued.

ASU has put its money where its mouth is with extensions for offensive and defensive coordinators Marcus Arroyo and Brian Ward. Football stars Cam Skattebo and Sam Leavitt have appeared in recent commercials as evidence of NIL efforts paying off.

The Arizona Board of Regents, which approves the contracts of college coaches, has a five-year limit on contracts that would prevent ASU from offering Dillingham a contract similar to the one Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti received earlier this season (eight years, $8 million annual average).

“I think that’s a part of the puzzle. There are a variety of aspects that go into a contract process, and there’s different ways to work around, to create incentives and a structure that makes sense,” Rossini said of the policy. “We don’t see that as a limiting factor, and that’s a part of the dynamic in our state. We respect that, and we’ll advance in all the ways that we’re able to.”

The athletic director said ASU has already seen a notable injection of funds due to the success of the team this season, but part of why the university is set up for long-term success is preseason adjustments to budgeting.

Rossini estimated the operational budget for football — the travel, food and technological aspects — saw a 45% increase.

“As we earn ticket revenue or find new corporate partnerships or increase our donor base, all those are dollars that in real-time we’re feeding back in to the operation,” Rossini said.

The coordinator extensions were possible thanks to that boost, Rossini added.

“We’ve definitely noticed an uptick in everything,” he said. “Donor engagement, new people coming to the table, NIL support, new corporate partners and that’s important. The cost of doing business in college sports is changing. That’s been very well-documented.

“But we want to build the kind of experience that people want to be a part of.”

ASU and Iowa State will kick off the Big 12 title game at 10 a.m. MST on Saturday. Listen to play-by-play coverage on 98.7 FM, the Arizona Sports app or online, with the State of the Sun Devils pregame show starting at 7 a.m. Watch the game on ABC.