The Michigan-Kenny Dillingham saga is finally dead, with Arizona State and Dillingham agreeing to terms on a significant contract extension. Still, many wondered just how serious talks with Michigan were, and Dillingham pulled back the curtain on the situation in full detail.
“For me, I never got offered the job. None of that ever got to that point,” Dillingham said. That’s about as straightforward as it gets, and honestly, good on him for not dancing around it like a lot of guys in his spot would. He also gave Michigan a respectful nod, calling it “an awesome place with unlimited resources” and adding that “somebody is going to get an unbelievable opportunity to take over one of the best rosters in the country.”
There’s nothing about that quote that sounds like a guy who was about to bolt. It’s the opposite. It sounds like someone who probably got a call, talked things through with his camp, utilized it for leverage, and then kept it moving. Now that he’s locked in at Arizona State with a brand new contract and a massive staff salary pool, the whole thing kind of feels like it played out perfectly on his end.
Let’s be real, Dillingham never came out and begged for the job. He didn’t posture or feed the rumor mill like other names in the mix. He let everyone else do the speculating while he played the long game. And if that long game was locking in serious money and getting his people paid in Tempe? Yeah, mission accomplished.
The best news for Arizona State? This whole thing is over. No more rumors, no more drama. Dillingham’s back, the money’s flowing, and the Sun Devils can focus on figuring out the quarterback situation and building something sustainable. The Michigan stuff was a fun side story for a minute, but now it’s clear it was just that: a story.
