COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Fresno State has secured the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honor for the second straight week as junior linebacker Phoenix Jackson earns the recognition for the first time in his career, the conference office announced on Monday morning.
Jackson had a standout performance against Hawai'i, finishing the game with a team-high nine tackles including 2.0 TFL. The highlight play of his night was the 89-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was his first interception of the season, and the second of his career. Jackson had the Bulldogs' first interception return for a touchdown since 2022.
The following quarter, Jackson halted a Hawai'i drive by knocking the ball loose and into the possession of Jayden Davis. It was the first forced fumble of his career.
The Modesto native picks up his first honor of any sorts, on a conference or national level. The young player, whose growth has been evident over the years, has been in a room with veteran players including Malachi Langley and Tuasivi Nomura, and Levelle Bailey from a season ago.
Jackson became the fifth Bulldog to earn a player of the week recognition this year, joining Nomura and Cam Lockridge as defensive picks, and Jalen Moss and Dylan Lynch as special teams honorees.
Fresno State hits the road for a test at Air Force this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. PT and will broadcast nationally on FS1.