Kenny Dillingham reacts to Cam Skattebo not being named Heisman finalist

The 2024 Heisman Trophy finalists were released on Monday, and Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo‘s name wasn’t included.

Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham joined The Burns & Gambo Show after the finalists were revealed and reacted to the news that his star running back was omitted from the list.

“Some of that is political, and I get it,” Dillingham told the co-hosts. “He kind of came from so far away to try to become in the Heisman [conversation]. A lot of that — you kind of have to be somebody that’s talked about at the beginning of the season. You kind of have to go into the season being on that watch list, and people are hyping you up that way. People would have watched him all year, right?”

Dillingham agreed that Arizona State’s last-place finish in the Big 12 preseason media poll likely hurt Skattebo’s chances, as the Sun Devils flew under the radar for most of the regular season.

To his point, the three of the four players that were named finalists — Dillon Gabriel, Travis Hunter and Cam Ward — were all on many preseason watch lists while Ashton Jeanty had a proven track record as reigning Mountain West offensive player of the year.

For Skattebo, he was coming off his first season in Tempe after transferring in from Sacramento State. While he had a more than respectable 783 yards and nine rushing touchdowns for the Sun Devils in 2023 — to say he’d more than double his rushing yards and touchdown totals would have been a tall task. Still, Skattebo managed to accomplish just that.

“I think if people would have watched him play the entire season, I think he would be there on Saturday,” Dillingham continued. “… I know he’s got a championship belt that he walks around with now for being the MVP of the Big 12 Championship. I know he’s worried about winning football games, but I definitely wanted that for him.

“I think he deserved it.”