Only 11 Saturdays remain before college football returns, and Arizona State is gearing up for it. When it comes to his players, Kenny Dillingham has never been one to hold back his words. He is bold and straightforward. While speaking to Speak of the Devil, he declared that Arizona State will do everything in its power to get its star quarterback, Sam Leavitt, noticed by the Heisman committee. And rightly so—as per On3, Sam is the best quarterback in college football in 2025

The Sun Devils aren’t short on talent either. With playmakers like Xavion Alford, Myles Rouser, Jordyn Tyson, and, of course, Leavitt, Arizona State boasts an explosive roster. A part of this roster got them their 11-win season last year. Of course, Cam Skattebo will be a big miss. However, there’s firepower. Despite that, one position is giving Dillingham headaches: the defensive line. The spring transfer portal window saw the team lose a key piece. And so far, they haven’t been able to replace him.

Speaking to Devils Digest, Dillingham was asked, “When you look at your roster, what positions might you get a guy here in the portal in the next couple months?” He responded, “Yeah, defensive tackle is still a position we got to add, because, you know, we had a kid enter to try to go, you know, get more playing time and be involved, and I was fired up about him.” That kid is JP Deeter, a 6’3″, 280-pound defensive lineman who only saw action in two games during the 2024 season. Frustrated by limited opportunities, Deeter entered the portal—and landed with none other than Texas State, a direct conference rival in the Big 12.

And to make matters worse, Arizona State will face the Bobcats this September. Dillingham didn’t shy away from the sting, saying, “Unfortunately, we play him this year, and he’s a good player, so that sucks for us. So a defensive tackle. That’s it for this class; everybody else that we’ve gotten, we’re pretty solid.” 

However, Kenny Dillingham manages to find a lesson in every problem he faces. He recently had the opportunity to participate in the Arizona Cardinals’ OTAs. Kenny grew up a Cardinals fan, but he wasn’t there to enjoy his time. He was there, soaking up all the knowledge from Jonathan Gannon. He said, “[I] don’t really say much because I’m not going there to talk, right, that doesn’t do anything for me. I’m going there to learn right, so that’s the value.” Similarly, through this roster gap issue, Kenny has also learned something that might change the way Arizona State recruits talent forever.

ASU is changing its recruitment landscape

According to 247Sports, ASU’s 2026 class comes 2nd in the Big 12 and is listed as 17th nationally. However, the fact that nearly half of the 17 recruits are from Texas and only two are from Arizona raises concerns. So, to curb the challenges in recruitment, especially local recruitment, Kenny and his staff have come up with a strategy. “Golden Ticket” is what they are calling this strategy. From the 2027 class, a select group of recruits will receive a special scholarship offer. The idea is to convey that the Sun Devils prioritize local talent. And they are ready to go that extra mile.

“I’m born and raised here, and a lot of our staff is from here. We’re trying to figure out this secret to recruiting this state. We’re doing everything we can. What we’re doing right now isn’t necessarily working at the highest level yet. So we’re going to change our strategy,” Dillingham said. Despite an impressive CFP run last year, Arizona State has struggled to attract local talent. The 2026 class from Arizona was stacked with star players like Camren Hamiel, Tait Reynolds, and Jalayne Miller.

But Kenny Dillingham is not thinking short-term. He is committed to this for the long haul. He said, “Our winning isn’t recruiting this year’s class. Or next year’s class. It’s recruiting the eighth-graders who are at a camp because, hopefully, they’re going to grow up and want to be a part of a winning team.” The Sun Devils are not in this recruitment game for immediate success; they are carefully crafting systems. With systems like these, who knows, Arizona might just become a powerhouse one day.