Arizona State football bringing back most of its starters — and the entire coaching staff

Posted by author February 21, 2025 Football

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Much has been made of Arizona State’s player retention. The team is looking to keep the momentum after an 11-3 showing that included a Big 12 championship and a berth in the Peach Bowl, in which the Sun Devils took heavily favored Texas to overtime.

Yes, running back Cam Skattebo has departed, but the Sun Devils are expected to return between 16 and 18 starters, with the cast led by quarterback Sam Leavitt and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. ASU returns all but two players off the two-deep roster, so it is likely that when the preseason poll comes out in July, the Sun Devils should be at the top rather than the bottom — as was the case a year ago.

The carryover of personnel returning extends to the coaching staff. When ASU starts spring drills late next month, the entire on-field coaching staff will be intact, along with the majority of the support staff.

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That’s a rarity in today’s game. The more successful you are, the more likely it is that programs with deeper pockets will try to poach some of those coaches. Head coach Kenny Dillingham says that is an underrated part of the equation.

Last year ASU brought in offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and was working in a new defensive line coach, Diron Reynolds, as well. That alone means ASU can accelerate the process of getting ready for the 2025 campaign that begins Aug. 30 against Northern Arizona.

“It’s nice to not have to restart installs,” Dillingham said in a 30-minute meeting with the media on Thursday. “Coach (Shaun) Aguano joked, said this is the first season in his career he’s had a returning offensive coordinator.”

Arroyo, a finalist for this year’s Broyles Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top assistant, and defensive coordinator Brian Ward were given three-year extensions late last season. An extension for Dillingham was announced by athletic director Graham Rossini the night before the Peach Bowl.

Speaking of coaches, there will be a familiar face on the coaching staff as former quarterback Trenton Bourguet has been added as an assistant running backs coach. The move became apparent Wednesday when the former Sun Devils quarterback changed his social media profiles to reflect that appointment.

Dillingham confirmed it when meeting with the media on Thursday morning.

Bourguet, who came to ASU as a walk-on in 2019 and earned a scholarship the next year, is among a dying breed in college athletics: a player who starts and finishes his career at the same school. It is especially uncommon at a position such as quarterback where only one guy can play.

The Tucson native has become a fan favorite for his loyalty to the school and team-first mentality. He’s been a walk-on, the starter, a backup and played through injuries.

Bourguet has always stressed his desire to go into coaching when his playing days were done. Dillingham has always stressed he wants people in the program who want to be here and are also good people. Bourguet fits that mold as evidenced by the fact that he stayed even when he didn’t win the starting job.

“He has a lot of value to the staff from a football perspective but also having the knowledge of looking behind the curtain,” Dillingham said.