Recruiting class just first step, says ASU coach
Bigger.
That was a word Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham used often in talking about the 18-member high school class he signed on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for high school athletes.
The Sun Devils are coming off a 3-9 season, in which injuries decimated the team from a personnel standpoint. This is Dillingham’s first full class after he arrived in late November 2022 and inherited many who had committed to the previous coaching staff.
“We got bigger up front and we got longer in the back end, linebacker included. And I think that was one of our goals, become a bigger offense and a bigger defense,” Dillingham said. “We needed to become a bigger team. The games that really got out of control for us were when we faced size. So we tried to attack that, to clean that up.”
“The defensive line we need to continue to get bigger. That’s something we have to continue to address is the size. Our edge guys, very very athletic. That was something I was very pleased with, the athleticism we signed at the edge. I think both those guys there can rush the passer as freshmen in the Big 12. Both crazy explosive.”
The various recruiting services bear out that it was a successful group for the Sun Devils. The 247Sports rankings had ASU's class place 45th, which included a top five ranking in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech, TCU, Central Florida and Kansas. They also ranked ahead of state rival Arizona. The transfer class checked in at eighth.
Rivals had ASU pegged 54th overall for its high school class but fourth in the transfer department.
The new group includes four offensive linemen, the position of greatest need. That quartet includes interior linemen Terrell Kim (6-3, 328) out of North Medford (Oregon), Filiva’a Saluni (6-5, 272) out of Kahuku (Hawaii), Semisi Tonga (6-4, 310) out of Salt Lake City West and Champ Westbrooks (6-4, 265) out of Los Angeles Loyola.
Dillingham said the work is not quite done there yet. He still looking for help at the tackle positions. He added that senior left tackle Emmit Bohle, who sustained a broken leg in the second game of the season, does plan to apply for a medical redshirt in the hope of playing one more season, which will help at that position.
“I still think we need some length. We’ve got some big bad, fill-in-theblank next word dudes who are going to road rage people but I think we need some length at tackle still,” Dillingham said.
“That would be the one thing, we need more length.”
Dillingham said he needs to add another linebacker and a defensive lineman, who can fill the void left by the departure of junior B.J. Green who entered the portal and committed to Washington.
Dillingham was pleased with the secondary group of four additions — Chris Johnson out of Aledo (Texas), Rodney Bimage out of Dickinson (Texas) safety Martell Hughes out of San Diego Madison (California) and TonyLouis Nkuba out of Lewisville (Texas), admitting that some will push for immediate playing time.
The coach also said edge rusher Salesi Manu out of Bishop Manogue in Reno is another who could see playing time early.
There were four athletes from Arizona signed including punter Kanyon Floyd out of Horizon, whom Dillingham referred to as a “sneaky good” get because there rarely is talk about a punter.
It’s another place where ASU struggled last season after it having been a spot of strength traditionally.
Dillingham couldn’t say exactly how many newcomers will enroll early, so they’re eligible for spring ball but estimated it would be around nine.
Dillingham reiterated that his recruiting classes should and will get better and it all comes down to building relationships. The longer you have to build those relationships, the more successful you will be in landing top-end talent.