Remember when folks laughed at Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State hire like it was a charity case? Fast forward a year and now that same “rookie head coach” had the Big 12 looking sideways after an 11-2 burner of a season and a near-miss at the Cotton Bowl. But while the Sun Devils are loading up for another title run, ESPN decided to drop a lil’ salt in the mix. And outta nowhere, a 290-pound warrior stepped up to set the record straight after ESPN’s diabolical disrespect.
On June 4th, Zac Swanson, the 6’4, 290-lb former Texas DT turned ASU monster—popped up on the ‘Speak of the Devils’ podcast and straight-up poured out why this Sun Devil squad’s got more than just flashy stats and highlight tape. After ESPN put some heavy shade on ASU’s name, Bradd Denny asked Swanson how the team culture kept this squad dangerous.
Swanson didn’t hold back when asked about ASU culture. “I appreciate this staff so much. They do so much for us, and the main thing is like they really create a relationship with their players. Like, a lot of times, like programs around the country will just kind of treat the players like they’re robots — like they’re just football players. And it’s hard to do that. It’s hard to like be treated like that and not like fall out of love with the game.” He laid it out like a man who’d seen both sides—and he has.
Texas told him to quit ball, ASU gave him a reason to grind again: “Like, when the coaches like really care about you and want the best for you and like in your — in their eyes you’re not just a football player, it really helps improve your mental a lot. And like you realize like okay, like this is a good spot, like football’s really actually fun. Like it’s not like just a chore to do… you realize here that football is like really fun to do, you know? Like our saying is “work is — have more fun working harder than anyone else in the country.” And that’s like true here. Like we’re having a ton of fun as a team.”
Before he started wrecking backfields in the desert, Swanson was just another name buried on Texas’ roster. After two quiet years and a coach allegedly telling him he “might as well quit football,” the kid from Brophy Prep needed a change. Back in Phoenix, he got it. In 2024, Swanson clocked in with 17 total tackles, a couple TFLs, and a chip on his shoulder that could move mountains.
What made the switch work? Kenny Dillingham. Swanson called the guy “one of the most passionate coaches in the country,” adding, “Like he’s just so — he loves football so much, and then he loves our team even more. But it’s so fun to play with him. Like, he could joke around with us all he wants, but then when it’s time to get serious, he gets serious. That kinda fire spread through the locker room like wildfire.
If you slept on ASU last season, that’s on you. 461 points scored in 14 games—second-best in the Big 12. And they did it without even being at full strength. Cam Skattebo was the spark, but don’t sleep on the returners. Jordyn Tyson is back, Sam Leavitt’s calling shots again, and the defense? Ten starters return. Plus, no coaching staff turnover. Kenny, OC Marcus Arroyo, and DC Brian Ward are all still riding shotgun. You want consistency? ASU got it in spades.
ESPN showing no love to Kenny Dillingham and Co.
Now here’s where it gets wild. Despite all that firepower, ESPN decided to rank ASU at No. 24 in its latest Football Power Index. That’s right—9.8 FPI, projected to win just eight games. From nearly making the CFP to being slotted like a mid-tier program? Disrespectful ain’t even the word. Meanwhile, Ohio State—who lost their OC Chip Kelly, DC Jim Knowles, and a grip of NFL-bound starters—is ranked No. 4 with a 23.8 FPI. Their QB1? Dude hasn’t even touched real game speed yet. But somehow, they’re playoff bound?
It’s not just the Buckeyes. ESPN stacked the top ten with five SEC squads and three from the Big Ten. Georgia? Lost Carson Beck to the Canes. Alabama? New QB, new coach, same ol’ blind faith. Tennessee’s rolling out Joey Aguilar from App State. Yet all three are projected to win 9+ games.
Even Clemson, who mirrors ASU in almost every stat—returning 20 starters, QB Cade Klubnik, top receivers, stacked defense—is barely in the top 11 with an FPI of 17.3. Make it make sense. But guess what? Kenny Dillingham is not begging for ESPN’s approval. The HC thrives off the underdog role. He’s got that ‘nobody believed in us’ juice brewing in Tempe. That chip on the shoulder? It’s now the team’s full-blown identity.
So what’s next? The Devils isn’t just trying to run it back—they’re looking to torch the whole Big 12 again. The offense is stacked, defense got goons, and the coaching staff is locked in like it’s year one. ESPN wants to sleep on that? Cool. That just means more smoke for everybody else. Zac Swanson’s story is just one piece of this team’s heartbeat. From told-to-quit to culture cornerstone, he’s proof that what Dillingham’s building in Tempe ain’t no fluke. It’s grit. It’s real. And it’s coming for heads.
By the time ESPN wakes up? It might already be too late.
The post Kenny Dillingham’s 290lbs Weapon Makes Honest ASU Culture Admission After ESPN’s Disrespect appeared first on EssentiallySports.
