Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham Gives Thoughts About Recruiting in NIL Landscape

Kenny Dillingham of Arizona State talked about one major recruiting need in the NIL landscape.

Jul 9, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Recruiting has never been easy in college sports, but the addition of NIL and a revamped transfer portal made it even more difficult. Some student-athletes aren't going to schools because of the program history, coach, or anything else. They simply want the most NIL money.

While understandable in most scenarios, it's made college coaches' jobs that much more difficult.

Fans often look for the players their favorite programs added in the portal and out of high school, but they also forget an important aspect. Retention is as big of a thing as ever now in this new landscape.

If a program develops a player, there's a good chance that they'll end up hitting the portal for more money or a better opportunity in general.

That's exactly what Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham talked about at the Big 12's media day. He spoke about the ever-changing NIL landscape and why it's important to keep players around

“I think the key nowadays to college football is retention,” Dillingham said at Big 12 Media Day. “And I think the only way, unless you can just have — pay players more money and unlimited amount of money, you have to gain their trust and be honest with them. I think the retention piece of college football is the most important thing, and I think that’s just trust and respect with your players,

“Right now in recruiting, our coaches aren’t our best recruiters. Our players are our best recruiters. Our players are selling our brand. Our players are telling them that our coaching staff doesn’t change."

Dillingham had an impressive offseason in the portal, landing quarterback Jeff Sims, Malik McClain, and other players who should make an impact on a Sun Devils program itching to get to the top.

Arizona State finished 3-9 a year ago, going 2-7 in the Pac-12. With a change to the Big 12, things won't get any easier, as one could argue that it's a better conference overall.

But, that was the second straight campaign where they finished with three wins, so they have to find a way to improve upon that.

Dillingham, just 34 years old, enters his second season at the helm. Expectations are high for him and this program, and with the additions he made in the portal, there isn't any reason they can't accomplish what he envisions.

They'll be tested early, taking on Mississippi State of the SEC in Week 2 of the college football season.