Bussin’ With The Boys: “Best of the Bus – Kenny Dillingham Explains Why Tradition Doesn’t Matter In College Football”

Date: December 20, 2025
Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan
Guest: Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State Head Football Coach

Episode Overview

This episode of “Bussin’ With The Boys” features Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham as part of the show’s Spring Tour. The discussion digs into college football culture, tradition, innovation in recruiting, building a winning program at a school without a storied history, and what “activating the Valley” means for Arizona State. Dillingham’s authenticity, candor, and belief in ASU’s potential shine through as he challenges conventional wisdom on tradition and talks about building from the ground up.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Competitive Spirit & Spring Game Antics

• The show opens with playful banter about the “Boys Spring Game,” the hosts’ rivalry, and competitive moments on the field. Both hosts joke about losing in Tempe despite past victories in bigger games ([01:52-03:39]).
• Dillingham joins in celebrating the fun, referencing the ice bath tradition for winning coaches and the chaos of spring practice experiments.

Does Tradition Really Matter? (03:41–04:26)

• Dillingham describes why he believes tradition is overrated when it comes to creating future success.
  • “Tradition is just something that happened in the past, has no effect in the future.” – Coach Dillingham [04:26]
• Instead, he pushes the idea that the present and future are defined by the players and coaches currently involved, not by historic reputation.
  • He notes that if a new wave of elite recruits chose ASU three years running, “our roster would be top five in the country. It’s very, very simple.” [04:26]

Selling ASU: Innovation over Facilities and History (05:32–07:30)

• The hosts probe how Dillingham sells ASU, given its “middle of the road” facilities and lack of major tradition.
• Dillingham:
  • Embraces the need for “creativity and innovation to get our brand out, to change the narrative here.” [07:07]
  • Recounts inviting Bussin’ With The Boys as a strategic move to generate energy and culture around the program.
  • Highlights ASU’s location, resources, and quality of life as positives over storied rivals.

Building a Fan Base in a Pro Town (07:30–08:33)

• On competing with pro sports culture (e.g., NFL’s Cardinals):
  • Dillingham says, “There’s enough room for both...This town just likes winners because there’s so many options.” [07:53]
  • Cites historical moments when ASU filled its stadium and draws parallels to programs like Clemson pre-rise.

Dillingham’s Path to Coaching and Leadership Philosophy (08:36–10:46)

• Reflects on pivoting from pre-law to coaching after a high school injury.
  • Coach Ragel steered him to coaching, and the joy of seeing things “click” for players got him hooked:
  • “I’m addicted to that click.” [09:49]
• Stresses “people over Xs and Os”: motivating, uniting, and relating to young athletes as the real keys to winning.

On Innovation, Authenticity, and Culture (10:46–12:23)

• Dillingham describes unconventional spring practice ideas (dance-offs, basketball shootouts) and how he relies on mentors like Charlie Ragel to check his impulses.
• “The culture is going to be what I am. Because if you’re not, people feed off of it and they know you’re full of crap.” [22:22]

Media Narratives, Recruiting, and Changing Perceptions (14:56–17:36)

• The media, per Dillingham, tells prospects “You’re too good for this [ASU].”
  • “They should be finding where they want to live. Right. And what people they trust, that’s it.” [16:41]
• His recruiting pitch centers on lifestyle, trust, and opportunity—inviting kids to be foundational, not just followers of tradition.

Embracing Social Media and Holding High Standards (17:50–19:14)

• On being a young, “players’ coach”: Dillingham emphasizes honesty and high standards, not coddling.
  • “Adults have lowered the bar because they think kids can’t hit the old standard. So they just lower the bar...No, you can hit the bar.” [18:14]
• Instead of shying away from social media, he encourages embracing criticism and using it as motivation:
  • “Laugh at it. Like, yeah, you’re probably right, you should have caught that ball...Don’t take it as a negative. Take it as a laugh, like joke about it.” [24:16]

NIL, Retention, and Building a Player-First Program (32:09–34:03)

• Discusses dedicating resources to improving player experience via NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), food, and facilities.
  • “Every decision we make is players. And if you keep that, the main thing...everything you should spend money on should affect the players.” [32:16]
• On transfer portal/free agency: He’s clear that only those who want to be at ASU will stay. There are no guarantees, and competition is king.

“Activate the Valley” – Creating Community Buy-in (34:06–38:02)

• Dillingham urges fans and local community to attend games, be active on social, and show prospects that ASU football matters.
  • “We need everybody in the Valley to be activated. In the fifth largest valley with one school...If everybody can get behind us and get activated...we’re going to be pretty dang good.” [35:21–38:02]

Notable Lighter Moments

• Dillingham jokes about fighting other PAC-12 coaches – “Oh, I would win. Oh, yeah. I would win. Yeah. I’m 32 and I am fiery. I will bite ankles.” [26:03]
• Declares he “wants to be here” at ASU and is already “way beyond comfortable” financially, reiterating his long-term commitment ([30:33]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tradition and Recruiting:
  "Tradition is just something that happened in the past, has no effect in the future." – Coach Dillingham [04:26]

• On Changing the Narrative:
  "We have to be creative and innovative to get our brand out, to change the narrative here." – Coach Dillingham [07:07]

• On Competing with Pros:
  "This town just likes winners because there’s so many options. Whichever team’s winning is what they choose." – Coach Dillingham [07:53]

• On Culture Over Talent:
  "It’s the culture that wins." – Coach Dillingham [14:32]

• On Media Narrative:
  "The media chooses what’s okay and where’s okay for people to go to..." – Coach Dillingham [16:41]

• On Social Media Criticism:
  "Laugh at it. Like, yeah, you’re probably right, you should have caught that ball...Don’t take it as a negative. Take it as a laugh, like joke about it." – Coach Dillingham [24:16]

• On Player-Driven Program:
  "Every decision we make is players. And if you keep that, the main thing that players win, that means everything you should spend money on should affect the—who? The players." – Coach Dillingham [32:16]

• On Building the Community:
  "We need everybody in the Valley to be activated...If everybody can get behind us and get activated...we’re going to be pretty dang good." – Coach Dillingham [35:21–38:02]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Spring Tour recap, competitive spirit: [01:41–03:39]
• Tradition vs. building new culture: [04:03–04:26]
• Selling ASU and innovation: [05:32–07:30]
• College vs. Pro town challenge: [07:30–08:33]
• Dillingham’s coaching path: [08:36–10:46]
• Mentors and authenticity: [10:46–12:23], [22:20–23:26]
• Media and recruiting narratives: [14:56–17:36]
• Approach to social media, standards: [17:50–19:14], [23:26–25:21]
• NIL and player-first priorities: [32:09–34:03]
• “Activate the Valley”: fan engagement: [34:06–38:02]
• Lighter banter, future plans: [38:12–41:37]

Episode Highlights

• Dillingham’s attitude is refreshingly straight-shooting and innovative, challenging the idea that only schools with established traditions can win at the highest level.
• He centers everything around culture, authenticity, and player well-being, making it clear that he’s invested for the long term at ASU.
• Unique program-building strategies (including community engagement and embracing social media) set Dillingham apart from his peers.
• The episode’s energetic and humorous tone keeps the discussion lively—fans of both the show and ASU football will find it inspiring and entertaining.

For anyone interested in modern college football, coaching culture shifts, and building programs from scratch, this is a must-listen conversation.