If Kenny Dillingham had one mulligan in the Peach Bowl, what would that be?
Jan 11, 2025, 2:57 PM
In life and sports, do-overs aren’t possible. Now, mulligans are useful in golf, but even those come at a price in a weekend scramble.
Kenny Dillingham did not hesitate when presented with the hypothetical opportunity to make one change in the Peach Bowl. And no, it was not forcing the officiating crew to call targeting when it was deemed a clean hit on wide receiver Melquan Stovall.
After watching the thrilling double-overtime loss to Texas at least 10 times — alone, he added — the head coach of Arizona State football said he would’ve kept a timeout in his pocket a bit longer.
“I would’ve not called a timeout on the fourth-and-1 in overtime,” Dillingham said Friday on “The Dan Patrick Show.” “I would’ve let the play eat, and would’ve converted and would’ve had a timeout to save for the fourth-and-13 when (Quinn) Ewers checked out of it into a Cover-0 beater.”
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He was of course referring to the eventual back-breaking play that prevented the Sun Devils from a date with Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Ewers made the ASU secondary pay for blown coverage and found Matthew Golden in the back of the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.
Just one play later, Dillingham and his squad went from jubilation to desperation as the Longhorns scored another touchdown. A Sam Leavitt pick followed and the rest is history.
The unfortunate turn of events was of no fault of the players, as Dillingham was quick to fall on the sword on X and even said safety Xavion Alford executed his job to a tee.
“(Ewers) checked out of a call in which we felt really good about what we were doing,” Dillingham said. “He checked into a call later on the clock, and you know, unbelievable check and they executed really well.”
Kenny Dillingham-run ASU football thrives on accountability
Taking the blame for the late-game decision is nothing new for the recently extended Dillingham — a five-year deal that includes incentives that would double the length to 10 if reached — who preaches “extreme ownership” to the ascendant program. He described himself as a “surrogate” sandwiched between the Sun Devils’ upper management and players, which includes the one-year old Tillman Leadership Council made up of two quarterbacks and 10 other players.
“I do not run the show here, our players run the show,” Dillingham said. “I just help them get to the best decisions, in my opinion.”
Dillingham leveled with Dan Patrick, admitting his players don’t have full autonomy, but it is because he naturally trusts and sees the best in people that ASU football has risen near the top at such an accelerated pace. His hands-off leadership style enabled the program to achieve ultimate buy-in, which just so happened to yield results.
All you have to do is ask running back Cam Skattebo about that. He gave 100% plus a croissant in Atlanta on New Year’s Day en route to the Peach Bowl offensive MVP.
While Skattebo is out of eligibility and likely NFL Draft bound, Dillingham can count on plenty of returning starters, including Leavitt and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. Four running backs are expected to stay in Tempe while Army transfer Kanye Udoh is in line to take over for the tough-nosed Skattebo. Alford will also be back in the linebackers room under defensive coordinator Brian Ward.
“I truly believe if you give people the keys, if you try to empower people, and if you get the right people around you and you trust them … they’re going to be the best versions of themselves,” Dillingham said. “And that empowerment is going to take you as a unit higher than you could ever go (rather than) me saying ‘Run a 100 yards.'”
