A connection between the Arizona State football program and Jon Gruden could be one that is unexpected - but it has happened no matter.
It all started when the former NFL head coach and Super Bowl winner began praising both head coach Kenny Dillingham and Heisman contending running back Cam Skattebo.
The praise continued to snowball - with Gruden even mentioning the Sun Devils as a 'sleeper' in the grand scheme of the College Football Playoff - he was proven correctly, as Arizona State was one play away from defeating Texas to make the semifinals.
The program shipped gear to Gruden in March as a token of appreciation - including hats, sweatshirts, and a polo - Gruden appeared to be overjoyed by the generosity shown by Dillingham and the rest of the athletic department.
Gruden has continued to show love to the Sun Devil program - even hosting WR Jaren Hamilton at his broadcast studio two weeks ago.
The run that the Sun Devils program has made over the last 12 months is nothing short of incredible, as the program went a pedestrian 3-9 in 2023 following an extensive amount of injuries across the board throughout the season, a postseason ban that was self-imposed, among other roadblocks.
The 2024 season wasn't entered with high hopes either - at least from the outside, as the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in their opening season in the Big 12 conference.
Dillingham's squad obviously exceeded expectations and then some, as Arizona State went on to win the conference while Sam Leavitt and Skattebo secured major conference honors.
The Sun Devils have seemingly earned respect across the full scope of the football world over the last several months, including coaches who have won championships at the professional level.
As for Gruden - the former NFL head coach has reportedly been interested in returning to the college ranks after being exclusively at the pro level since 1990 - is it possible that Gruden could be making an eventual play to join a staff somewhere?
Read more about the state of the Sun Devils in 2025 - including a current prediction of the season record here, and three bold predictions of what could be to come this season here.
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