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The Arizona State football team fell to Big 12 foe Cincinnati on Saturday, 24-14. After the game, head coach Kenny Dillingham was unhappy.
Frustrated with his squad’s play on special teams, he threw his kicker under the bus while speaking to the media.
“Our kicking game is atrocious. If you can kick and you’re at Arizona State, email me,” he said. “We’re going to have kicking tryouts on Monday… I’m dead serious.”
Kenny Dillingham said that ASU will be hosting kicking tryouts on Monday:
“Our kicking game is atrocious. If you can kick and you’re at Arizona State, email me. We’re going to have kicking tryouts on Monday … I’m dead serious.”@DevilsDigest pic.twitter.com/tUsrZDP4Wi
— Justin LaCertosa (@LaCertosaSports) October 19, 2024
The Sun Devils struggled in the kicking game with Ian Hershey missing field goal attempts on the offense’s last two drives of the contest. The misses prevented the Arizona State football team from mounting a comeback in the 10-point setback.
Less than a day later, Dillingham walked those comments back. It seems he felt bad for singling out his starting kicker!
“I would like to apologize in my post game press conference I talked about our kicking game like I do offense / defense. However the kicking game is always directed at one player. I should not have done that and I apologize. This team’s losses will always 100% fall on myself.
-Kenny Dillingham / X: @KennyDillingham
While Dillingham apologized for his remarks, the issues in the kicking game remain a concern. Through seven contests, Hershey has connected on just 58% of his field goal attempts. He’s knocked down just three of his eight on kicks from 30 yards or longer.
Reserve special teamer Carston Keiffer, meanwhile, was unsuccessful on his lone field goal attempt in the season opener vs. Wyoming, bringing the team total to just 7-for-13.
The misses on Saturday came back to haunt the Sun Devils in their upset bid. We’ll see if Kenny Dillingham’s very public call for help leads to answers.