Kenny Dillingham's boss doesn't seem confident he won't leave for Michigan

The coaching carousel is at a bit of a standstill, as we all await what Michigan plans to do to go about replacing Sherrone Moore. With SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods taking over at Missouri State for Ryan Beard, all that remains unfilled in the head-coaching department are Michigan and the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio U has a scandal of its own to navigate, but Michigan feels like a hire is imminent.

One candidate is Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham. He is leading his alma mater, having taken the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in only his second season on the job last year. However, there are levels to this. Arizona State may be committed to him, but Michigan can always outspend ASU. It is why what Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini had to say is resonating.

"I'm of the many thousands who agree that Kenny Dillingham is the right leader for our program. Leadership matters. We have tremendous leadership in place under Coach...We're working through it. We're working through some details. It's an exciting moment for our program."

Here is everything Rossini said while appearing on Burns and Gambo over on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

Rossini made it a point to not talk numbers and details of Dillingham's contract, mostly because he and everybody involved knows that it would be bad for business. The last thing he wants to do is give Michigan some once-safe-guarded intel on the financial matters of all this. Surely, if Michigan wanted to, Larry Ellison and Dave Portnoy could blow whatever offer Arizona State puts forth out of the water.

It is why if Michigan wants Dillingham, they are going to end up with him. There is also another wrinkle.

Arizona State AD is not ruling out Kenny Dillingham leaving for Michigan

Where things stand now, it seems as though one of three people will end up being the next head coach of Michigan. That would be either Dillingham, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, or potentially a dark horse in Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea. DeBoer seems to be Michigan's top choice, but he also has a playoff game to attend to on Friday night. A loss might make his decision to leave easier...

Should Alabama beat Oklahoma to advance to the Rose Bowl to take on top-seeded Indiana, DeBoer may not have a realistic shot of coming to Ann Arbor. It would be akin to Luke Fickell trying to leave Cincinnati for Notre Dame all those years ago. He did leave Cincinnati for Wisconsin, and look how that turned out for him... As for Dillingham and Lea, either coach could be had for a massive payday.

It is why if Alabama beats Oklahoma in the rematch in Norman that Michigan will probably end up hiring either Dillingham or Lea. They may be leading their respective alma maters, but we all know that Michigan can outspend whatever best offer Arizona State or Vanderbilt could ever hope to put forth. Michigan clearly wants a proven Power Four head coach to lead them. Maybe it will be either of them?

For now, Rossini and the Arizona State boosters will try their very best to keep Dillingham in Tempe.