How Kenny Dillingham’s ‘performance triggers’ make his contract a bargain for Arizona State

Oklahoma State axed Mike Gundy on Tuesday, four days after a home loss to Tulsa became the latest in a series of embarrassing results.

The Cowboys are the first Big 12 school to execute an in-season termination since Arizona State fired Herm Edwards three years ago (almost to the day).

The Sun Devils were in the Pac-12 back then, and the circumstances were different — Edwards’ program was under NCAA investigation for recruiting violations — but the on-field product in Tempe in the fall of 2022 was, like the current team in Stillwater, second-rate.

So much has changed for the Sun Devils, who host undefeated No. 24 TCU on Friday night. In the 36 months since Edwards was cut loose, they have slogged through nine games with interim coach Shaun Aguano, hired a permanent coach in Kenny Dillin