When Dalton Johnson committed to the Arizona football program in June of 2020, he couldn’t predict what would be in store over the coming years.
Johnson arrived on campus the following summer, by which time Arizona had completed an organizational reboot several months prior. The school let go of Kevin Sumlin and his staff after an 0-5 season and brought in Jedd Fisch.
Johnson remained committed to Arizona.
Two-and-a-half years later, the UA went through another coaching change when Fisch left for Washington.
Brent Brennan was hired in his place and in came a brand new staff.
Johnson remained committed to Arizona.
Last offseason, after Arizona suffered a disappointing first year under Brennan, two of Johnson’s best teammates on the Wildcats secondary flipped their allegiances. Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis took one-way flights to Seattle to follow Fisch.
Johnson remained committed to Arizona.
In an era that has brought unprecedented player movement and the advent of NIL, Johnson stayed firm in his loyalty to the UA. So did many other members of the Wildcats senior class.
On Saturday, Johnson was rewarded once and for all for his patience with a career-game. In his last appearance at Casino Del Sol Stadium, a 41-17 Arizona win over Baylor, Johnson secured 18 tackles, seven of those unassisted.
“Dalton is one of those guys that chose to stay and he had lots of people trying to talk him into leaving,” Brennan said. “He’s an awesome Wildcat. He was signed and recruited by Coach Sumlin’s staff, so he went through that transition and then went through the transition with me. Obviously last year wasn’t fun. I promise you it sure as hell wasn’t fun for me, but not for him either.
“Here we are on senior day at Casino Del Sol Stadium and he has 18 tackles? Get out of here. That’s how it should end. That’s storybook.”
One hundred and thirty-six FBS programs will hold a Senior Day this month. Very few seniors around the country can say they’ve been through as many ups and downs as the two senior defensive backs who stuck it out in Tucson, Johnson and Treydan Stukes.
“I started my career when nobody was able to be in the stands,” Stukes said. “So from going from that to having 1,000 people in the top floor with their shirts off, I mean, it’s been huge. Thank you Zona Zoo for these last six years.”
Stukes, too, got to end his playing days in Tucson on the highest of notes. His fourth quarter end-zone interception kept the Bears off the scoreboard. Baylor wouldn’t threaten again.
“Storybook ending, if you will,” Stukes said. “Any way I can help the team team is good for everyone.”
Stukes enrolled at Arizona all the way back in August 2020, appearing in three games in Arizona’s winless COVID season. Like Johnson, Stukes stuck through two coaching changes and multiple rebuilding years.
After an injury-shortened 2024 season, he dipped his toes in the transfer portal last winter, only to decide that Tucson was the best place to finish his college career.
“We believed in Coach Brennan, that’s why all those people, all these transfers that came in here, they came in to a team that was 4-8,” Stukes said. “And the guys that decided to stay, we stayed with the same coaching staff.”
Brennan was equally effusive in his praise for the Stukes after the game, calling him “literally one of the best football players” he’s ever been around.
“He talked to the team last night. He’s in his sixth year. He went through the ACL, he talked about just that long road back for him, how hard that was, and just what a special night for him with the interception and, obviously a bunch of tackles,” Brennan said. “He is just such an impactful player, such a great leader for us.”
