(Irving, TX) A pair of Sun Devil Football players were recognized by the Big 12 Conference for their performances on Saturday.
The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week is Sun Devil linebacker Owen Long and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week is Sun Devil wide receiver Jaren Hamilton. In Arizona State’s 24-17 win over Kansas at the Union Jack Classic in London, both individuals made a major impact. A Sun Devil has now won a conference player of the week award 29 times in the Kenny Dillingham era. This is the seventh time a Sun Devil has won conference defensive player of the week and fifth time one has been selected as conference special teams POTW over the past four seasons. For the ninth time under Dillingham, multiple Sun Devils received conference weekly honors in the same week.
Photos – Sun Devil Athletics
Owen Long
Pat Tillman Leadership Council Member
Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week – Owen Long
Sun Devil linebacker Owen Long had one of the best performances by a Sun Devil linebacker in recent memory.
He was all over the field in Arizona State’s 24-17 victory over Kansas at the Union Jack Classic in London.
The junior stuffed the stat sheet finishing with 12 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
It was his first career interception, second forced fumble, and third fumble recovery.
After finishing with ten double-digit tackle games in 2025, Long registered his first with Arizona State. He now has 11 games with 10+ tackles in his career.
Owen Goal
Long’s performance was not only statistically impressive, he came through at important moments of the game.
His forced fumble came on first down during a Kansas drive that had reached the ASU 22-yard line early in the fourth quarter, swinging the momentum back in the Sun Devils favor.
The interception was even more timely, as it sealed the game for the Sun Devils with Kansas positioned at the ASU 23-yard line and trailing 24-7 with 9:34 left in the game.
He was the leader of a defense that willed the Sun Devils to a victory, their first time winning a game with less than 250 yards of total offense since defeating Michigan State, 10-7, in 2019.
Jaren Hamilton
Photos – Sun Devil Athletics
Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Week – Jaren Hamilton
Perhaps the biggest moment of Arizona State’s 24-17 victory over Kansas in the Union Jack Classic in London came courtesy of Jaren Hamilton.
With the game still very much in the balance and the Sun Devils leading 10-7, Hamilton dealt a crushing blow to the Jayhawks to open the half.
He returned the initial second half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, pushing ASU’s lead to 17-7.
The momentum provided by Hamilton’s big play helped catapult the Sun Devils to a win in the conference opener.
It is the first kick return for a touchdown by a Sun Devil since D.J. Taylor took the opening kickoff to the house in Arizona State’s 70-7 win over Arizona on Dec. 11, 2020 and only the fifth by a Sun Devil since 2012.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Connor Smith
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