University of Arizona Athletics

Arizona: 1L... Will battle Ray Wells for the inside linebacker position opposite Lance Briggs entering the 2002 season... Played in all 11 games and started five as a true freshman in 2001... Started at inside linebacker when Wells moved to whip linebacker to replace an injured Joe Siofele... Closed the year with 33 total tackles (20 solo), two tackles for loss (-14) and a sack... Had five solo hits, a tackle for loss and a sack at California... Had a season-best eight tackles at Oregon State and seven against USC... Had five tackles, including a tackle for loss, at Washington... Tallied four hits against Stanford... Had two tackles versus Washington State and a tackle against both ASU and Oregon... A physical hitter who can play inside linebacker or defensive back... Johnson came to Arizona from a high school program that annually sends a half-dozen players into Division I-A football, more than any program in the area...

High School: Skyline High School, Oakland, Calif., 2001… Earned two letters for coach John Beam… Played outside linebacker and strong safety… Two-time all-city and All-East Bay selection… Recorded 16 sacks on the year and scored three defensive touchdowns in one game with two interception returns and a fumble return… Selected to the Tacoma News-Tribune Western 100 and rated an all-region selection by Rivals100.com. Johnson earned that organization’s nod as the No. 18 safety in the class of 2001…

Kirk Johnson Class: Sophomore Hometown: Oakland, Calif. High School: Skyline Height / Weight: 6-1 / 215 Position: LB Birthdate: 09/21/1983 Experience: 1L