From Down Under to the desert. One Australian punter finds more than just sunshine in Tempe. He discovers a culture that’s worth crossing oceans for. Look, Kenny Dillingham has transformed Arizona State into a force, taking a 3-8 team and turning them into an 11-3 Big 12 champion with a College Football Playoff berth. But more than the victories, it was Dillingham’s emphasis on teamwork, that captivated the Aussie. As fall camp intensifies, the newcomer sees this as his opportunity to earn his spot and demonstrate his value in a program where culture drives everything.

So, who’s this punter making waves in Tempe? Meet Matt McKenzie. An Aussie punter from Sydney, Australia, who’s making a splash at ASU’s 2025 fall camp. The 6-foot, 210-pound redshirt junior, formerly of the University of Technology Sydney, brings that classic Aussie flair to Tempe with a versatile punting game. He can launch rugby-style kicks or pinpoint spirals. McKenzie is seriously competing for playing time, showing up with energy, accuracy, and a competitive edge. Keep an eye on him.

But what made him go overseas to make his move towards Kenny Dillingham’s team? It’s simple. His swag and his staff’s aura sealed the deal for him. “I mean, the biggest thing I think is like everyone sees it here, about Coach Dillingham and the coaching staff generally. Coach Ragle, like everyone wants to be here. Everyone enjoys it. Everyone loves it. And I think for me, I’m someone that is really passionate. Like, I want to love what I do. I love sports. I mean, that’s why I made the change as well,” he said on Speak of the Devils.

There’s no question that Kenny Dillingham is building something special in Tempe. It’s evident in everything happening this offseason. With Heisman hopeful Sam Leavitt leading the offense, Jordyn Tyson stretching the field, and Myles “Ghost” Rowser anchoring the defense, ASU has serious talent. Even better, the Sun Devils retained all their non-senior starters, aside from Cam Skattebo heading to the NFL. That’s unusual, and it speaks volumes about the team’s commitment. When a guy like Matt McKenzie travels across the world for an opportunity, it says something about the culture Dillingham is creating. Players want to be a part of it.

Now, here comes the major question. What does this guy bring to the table for Kenny Dillingham’s team? “I can, you know, roll out a rugby-style sort of punt, and then, you know, my spiral is still strong as well. So I want to be able to do both of those. Whatever the coach needs me to do, I’m out there to do it. You know, I feel like that is, anything they need me to do, I’m doing it,” Matt McKenzie said.

So, with that level of talent, Kenny Dillingham’s team will surely make a bigger impact this season. But only if their offense will back them too.

Kenny Dillingham’s tough warning for his team

After an impressive season, ASU’s fall camp kicked off with energy. But things got tense real fast on Day 2. And Kenny Dillingham didn’t mince words before calling out his team, especially their offense, for a poor showing. “We just gotta play with more passion. Not passionate enough today. Defense the last three periods—really passionate… but we already got our b–t kicked. So today was bad… offense had no leadership… bad day,” Dillingham said. That kind of bold response sets the tone early that there’s zero margin for error.

The biggest problem? Dropped passes. These mistakes were costly and stalled drives. Tyson had at least three drops, and Jaren Hamilton couldn’t hold onto a ball in the red zone during 7-on-7. When a veteran like Tyson struggles, it disrupts the entire offense. Even Sam Leavitt couldn’t get into a rhythm, putting the ball at risk several times during that drill. It wasn’t just sloppy. It seemed unfocused, and Dillingham wasn’t pleased.

However, it wasn’t all bad news. Tight end Khamari Anderson performed well, making difficult catches and impressing everyone. Wide receiver Zechariah Sample also made a strong showing, hinting at a potential role. But the defense dominated, bringing energy in the final periods and justifying Dillingham’s earlier praise. If anyone’s setting the bar right now, it’s the defensive side of the ball.

But Kenny Dillingham didn’t let the defense’s intensity distract them from the main topic. He delivered a harsh reality to the team: “Don’t be mad going five and seven. It’s okay. Don’t be mad about going six and six. Don’t be mad about going three and nine because somebody has to do those records. There’s gonna be tons of teams who do it. Why not us? We didn’t practice badly. What I mean by that is that we didn’t bust. We didn’t play this with passion.” Following a historic season with 11 victories, Dillingham is emphasizing that anything less than that is not acceptable.