Arizona State was the surprise team of college football in 2024, as we know. Coming off a 3-9 season in 2023, the Sun Devils were predicted to finish 16th of 16 in the Big 12 and instead finished first. Not only that, the Devils earned a bye in the College Football Playoff and were a 4th-and-13 away from playing eventual champion Ohio State in the semifinals.
Last year is now last year, and Kenny Dillingham is extremely concerned about the success of 2024 negatively impacting 2025.
Already, Dillingham played Queen's "We Are the Champions" on repeat at a Sun Devils spring practice in an attempt to get his players to put last year behind them. "I want it to be monotonous. Like who gives a crap. Like, you're going to be told so many good things forever, you better get so used to it that it becomes monotonous, or irrelevant," he said.
Next, in an age where college football programs are regularly shutting themselves away from the public in spring ball, Dillingham is inviting fans to watch.
Dillingham is doing so in another attempt to fight complacency. "Have a day off, lose in a one-on-one rep. It's going on social media," Dillingham warned. "You can't just take a day off, because everybody's going to see it. You can't just sit out a rep."
In a time where coaches obsess over what they might stand to lose by spring ball to the outside world -- Oh no, my rivals might poach my freshman wideout based off one clip on Twitter! -- Dillingham focuses on what can be gained.
"In today's day and age, you need as many things that can motivate guys. Guys gotta know there's pressure on them, always, at practice. Practice cannot become complacent. It has to be like a game."
Fortunately for fans attending Saturday's practice, they will not be tortured by "We Are the Champions" on repeat. "I like the song and I'm starting to hate it, which is unfortunate because it's such a great song," Dillingham said.