Arizona junior kicker Michael Salgado‑Medina was recognized as the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week following the Wildcats’ dramatic 29‑28 win over TCU on Friday night. It marks Salgado‑Medina’s first conference player‑of‑the‑week award and the tenth Arizona player to receive Big 12 honors since the university joined the league.
Key performance against TCU
Against TCU, Salgado‑Medina was perfect on his attempts, converting three of three field goals and two of two extra‑point tries. His decisive 37‑yard field goal in the final minutes secured the victory and kept Arizona’s home‑winning streak alive. Earlier in the game he opened the scoring with a 43‑yard field goal in the first quarter and added a 23‑yard kick early in the fourth to narrow the Horned Frogs’ lead.
Season numbers and consistency
To date this season Salgado‑Medina has attempted 16 field goals, making 12, and has been successful on 35 of 36 extra‑point tries. He has also recorded a kickoff and a touchback, demonstrating his versatility in the special‑teams unit.
Coach Brent Brennan’s confidence
Head coach Brent Brennan praised Salgado‑Medina’s mental toughness and work ethic, noting that the kicker’s consistency in practice translated to clutch performance when it mattered most. “Being a kicker is one of the hardest positions because you never know when you’ll get an opportunity,” Brennan said. “We’ve seen his strong leg and his mental toughness, so I had full confidence he would nail it, and he did.”
Silencing critics
Although Salgado‑Medina faced criticism over the past two seasons, his game‑winning kick has quieted doubters. The kicker himself emphasized routine and preparation, saying, “I follow my routine and trust the process. It’s a great feeling to execute and work hard for a moment like that.”
Other Wildcats earning conference honors
This week’s recognition adds Salgado‑Medina to fellow Wildcats Caleb “Jet” Smith and Noah Fifita, who also received Big 12 honors. Previous Wildcats honored this season include Ismail Mahdi, Quincy Craig, Dalton Johnson, Genesis Smith, Tyler Loop, Tacario Davis, and Tetairoa McMillan. Arizona also earned offensive line of the week honors last season.
Looking ahead to Utah
The Wildcats, currently ranked No. 22, will host No. 2 Utah next Saturday. FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will be in Tucson to preview the matchup. Brennan urged the community to fill the stadium, saying, “Saturday is the day we need to pack The Sol. Let’s make our place a nightmare for Utah.”
Fans can expect kickoff at 5:30 p.m., with pre‑game festivities beginning earlier in the day.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
