ASU’s Kenny Dillingham agrees to become one of the top-paid coaches in the Big 12

Kenny Dillingham was honored the night before Arizona State’s biggest game in recent memory.

Arizona State’s coach agreed to a five-year extension to stay in Tempe ahead of its game against Texas in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, ESPN reported Tuesday. Although the exact amount of the contract was not disclosed, Dillingham’s contract will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big 12 and will give him a “pathway” to a 10-season contract extension, ESPN added in its report.

Dillingham, an Arizona State alum, has quickly transformed his alma mater in just two seasons. The 34-year-old coached the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title in 2024 after being named the conference’s top seed in the preseason media poll. Its dominant victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game helped Arizona State secure a first-round berth in the College Football Playoff before facing Texas in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

The former Oregon offensive coordinator was the youngest coach in the FBS when he took over the Arizona State program last year. The Sun Devils were hit hard by injuries in their first season while playing under the cloud of an NCAA investigation into the hiring practices of former coach Herm Edwards.

The fiery Dillingham has pushed all the right buttons this season, leading the team to a six-game winning streak in the CFP for the first time. Dillingham made a smart move by taking quarterback Sam Leavitt out of the transfer window — among other things — and has made the most of running back Cam Skattebo, who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.

At 11-2, Arizona State has its most wins in a season since 1996. That was also the last time it won the conference, taking home the Pac-10 title that year.

Dillingham’s extension, it seems, will stop Arizona State from continuing to be a power in the Big 12 after a successful first year in the conference. Dillingham’s extension will also mean more commitment from his coaches, according to ESPN.

Before the extension, Dillingham was earning a base salary of $4.05 million. But a surprising season at Arizona State helped him earn more than $2.5 million in bonus money. He could get $200,000 in bonus money if Arizona State beats Texas in the Peach Bowl.

Dillingham gave away half of that bonus money during the regular season, donating $200,000 to members of his support staff.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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