Kenny Dillingham and staff show commitment to Texas to Tempe movement

EL PASO, Texas. — After a draining Thursday night road win over Texas State, most of Arizona State’s football team flew back home for a well-deserved weekend of rest. However, one integral part of the team stayed behind: head coach Kenny Dillingham.

The Sun Devil’s head coach spent time recruiting in the Lone Star State, as the team remains committed to selling the Texas to Tempe movement. 

Kenny Dillingham stays behind to recruit in Texas 

In the current landscape of college football, coaches must remain committed to recruiting throughout the full calendar year. The extra long weekend gave Dillingham time to check out the ever-so-famous Friday night lights in Texas.

Following the Sun Devil’s win over the Bobcats, Dillingham announced that he, along with some of the coaching staff, planned to stay in the state to recruit high school talent.

“I’ll be at a high school at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning with our staff,” Dillingham said following ASU’s Thursday night victory over Texas State. “Then I’ll take two flights and get to El Paso.”

On Friday night, he visited Del Valle high school. Most likely, to watch the four-star class of 2026 quarterback Jake Fette, who the Sun Devils offered back in May.

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Texas to Tempe Movement

It is no secret that ASU plans to make Texas a focal point in its recruiting endeavors. The team’s roster boasts 22 players from the state, which is second most on the squad to Arizona (40). 

Understanding the riches of talent in the state, Dillingham hopes to capitalize on the team’s recent move to the Big 12 and propel the program’s efforts in the fertile recruiting ground. 

“Being in the Big 12, we’re going to play more games in Texas, so that’s going to be the footprint,” Dillingham said. “Dating back to when I got here, I felt like that was a trend even before we moved. So we prepared for that, and it came to fruition. I think it’s great for us to have more Texas kids on the roster than there’s ever been.”

More games in the state allow players from Texas to return home to play in front of friends and family. In ASU’s game against Texas State, key players, including sophomore defensive tackle C.J. Fite, had this opportunity. 

“It’s fun to go back home and have a lot of family at that game,” Fite said. “Getting to play in front of them again feels like high school. It’s a good experience, and I’m glad to be back.”

With the team’s recent success on the field and increasing momentum in recruiting, the Texas to Tempe movement only seems to be gaining more and more traction. 

Next week, the Sun Devils will have another opportunity to impress in Texas, as ASU prepares to take on Texas Tech in Lubbock for the team’s Big 12 opener.

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