Another week, another honor for Arizona redshirt senior safety Dalton Johnson, who was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.Â
Johnson contributed a forced fumble and an interception in No. 25 Arizona's 23-7 win over 20th-ranked Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.Â
Johnson shared the weekly honor with Iowa State linebacker Caleb Bacon. TCU running back Jeremy Payne and Houston quarterback Conner Weigman were named Big 12 Offensive Players of the Week.Â
BYU returner Parker Kingston earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors, and BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week for the seventh time this season.Â
TCU's offensive line and Texas Tech's defensive line received the "Beef of the Week" award from the Big 12.Â
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Johnson was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week last week following his 18-tackle performance in the Wildcats' home finale against Baylor. Â
Arizona defensive back Dalton Johnson (43) against BYU in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz.
"I just think that's incredible, two weeks in a row," Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said during his news conference on Monday. "A senior, stuck through it, did it right, played for multiple coaching staffs. I just think the guy is special."Â
Johnson remains the fourth Wildcat to receive Big 12 weekly honors this season. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, twice. UA running backs Ismail Mahdi and Quincy Craig also earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors this season.Â
Johnson, who could conceivably earn All-Big 12 first- or second-team honors, has the sixth-most tackles (97) in the Big 12 this season — the most by a defensive back. Johnson, Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes and UA cornerback Jay'Vion Cole are tied for the second-most interceptions (4) in the Big 12 this season.Â
Johnson is on pace to become the first Arizona safety since Darrell Brooks in 2004 and '05 to lead the Wildcats in tackles in back-to-back seasons. Johnson's 97 tackles this season is more than his season total from last year.Â
No. 25 Arizona ended its regular season with a 9-3 record and now awaits its postseason fate, which will be unveiled on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. on ESPN.
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports

