How Kenny Dillingham's performance triggers' make his contract a bargain for Arizona State

"Oklahoma State axed Mike Gundy on Tuesday, four days after a home loss to Tulsa became the latest in a series of embarrassing results. The Cowboys are the first Big 12 school to execute an in-season termination since Arizona State fired Herm Edwards three years ago (almost to the day). The Sun Devils were in the Pac-12 back then, and the circumstances were different Edwards' program was under NCAA investigation for recruiting violations but the on-field product in Tempe in the fall of 2022 was, like the current team in Stillwater, second-rate."

"So much has changed for the Sun Devils, who host undefeated No. 24 TCU on Friday night. In the 36 months since Edwards was cut loose, they have slogged through nine games with interim coach Shaun Aguano, hired a permanent coach in Kenny Dillingham, self-imposed a one-year bowl ban, been slapped with NCAA sanctions, overhauled the roster and the culture, risen from nowhere to win the Big 12, pushed Texas to the brink in the College Football Playoff and received the program's highest preseason AP ranking in nearly three decades."

"When the perfect head coach has been identified, nothing short of violating state law should prevent the university from doing what's required to secure a long-haul deal. And that's exactly what ASU did with Dillingham: Athletic director Graham Rossini and president Michael Crow found a way to extend Dillingham's contract beyond the five-year limit (for state university employees) imposed by the Arizona Board of Regents."

Oklahoma State dismissed longtime coach Mike Gundy following a home loss to Tulsa, becoming the first Big 12 in-season firing since Arizona State let Herm Edwards go three years earlier. Arizona State endured NCAA scrutiny, interim leadership, sanctions and a self-imposed bowl ban, then rebuilt its roster and culture under Kenny Dillingham. The program rose to win the Big 12, nearly reached the College Football Playoff and earned a high preseason ranking. Transfer portal and NIL dynamics accelerated the turnaround. Athletic leaders at Arizona State used performance-triggered contract components to extend Dillingham beyond a five-year regental limit.

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