In college football, few coaches have risen through the ranks as quickly as Kenny Dillingham . And on Saturday, the Arizona State head coach revealed the heart behind the rise. Fighting back tears on camera, the 35-year-old paused mid-sentence as he spoke about how deeply the Sun Devils and the school mean to him.

Speaking to the media, Dillingham said, “I love this place…” before immediately pausing as he broke down in tears. After several long seconds of silence, he finally gathered himself and closed with a simple, heartfelt line: “It’s a special place to me.” And that raw moment drew ASU alum Phil Mickelson ‘s attention.

“ He is the best and has brought an amazing energy to ASU football and athletics!” Mickelson wrote in response to the video shown below. And that response was

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