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List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders

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Joe Burrow is the all-time NCAA leader in single-season total yards, gaining over 6,000 with the LSU Tigers in 2019

The list of college football yearly total offense leaders identifies the major college leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in two statistical categories: (1) total offense yards, and (2) total offense yards per game. From 1937 to 1969, the NCAA determined its national total offense individual title based on total yardage. Starting in 1970, the NCAA began making that determination based on total offense yards per game.[1]

Total offense leaders

[edit]

Key
= Winner of that year's Heisman Trophy
Bold = Figure established an NCAA major college record

Leaders in total offense by NCAA season
Year Name Total yards Name YPG
1937 Byron White[1]
(Colorado)
1,596
1938 Davey O'Brien[1]
(TCU)
1,847
1939 Kenny Washington[1]
(UCLA)
1,370 Tom Harmon[2]
(Michigan)
169.5
1940 Johnny Knolla[1][2]
(Creighton)
1,420 Tom Harmon[2]
(Michigan)
168.3
1941 Bud Schwenk[1][3]
(Washington University in St. Louis)
1,928 Bud Schwenk[4] 214.2
1942 Frank Sinkwich[1][5]
(Georgia)
2,187
1943 R. Hoernschemeyer[1][6]
(Indiana)
1,648
1944 Bob Fenimore[1][7]
(Oklahoma State)
1,758 Bob Fenimore[8] 219.75
1945 Bob Fenimore[1][9]
(Oklahoma State)
1,641 Bob Fenimore[10] 205.1
1946 Travis Tidwell[1]
(Auburn)
1,715 Travis Tidwell[11][12] 171.5
1947 Fred Enke[1][13]
(Arizona)
1,941 Fred Enke[14] 194.1
1948 Stan Heath[1][15]
(Nevada)
1,992 Stan Heath[16] 221.3
1949 Johnny Bright[1]
(Drake)
1,950
1950 Johnny Bright[1][17]
(Drake)
2,400 Johnny Bright[18] 266.7
1951 Dick Kazmaier[1][19]
(Princeton)
1,827
1952 Ted Marchibroda[1][20]
(Detroit)
1,813
1953 Paul Larson[1][21]
(California)
1,572
1954 George Shaw[1][22]
(Oregon)
1,536
1955 George Welsh[1][23] 1,348
1956 John Brodie[1][24]
(Stanford)
1,642
1957 Bob Newman[1][25]
(Washington State)
1,444
1958 Dick Bass[1][26]
(Pacific)
1,440 Randy Duncan[26]
(Iowa)
156.2
1959 Dick Norman[1][25]
(Stanford)
2,018
1960 Billy Kilmer[1][25]
(UCLA)
1,889 Billy Kilmer[27] 188.9
1961 Dave Hoppman[1][25]
(Iowa State)
1,638 Dave Hoppman[28] 163.8
1962 Terry Baker[1][25]
(Oregon State)
2,276
1963 George Mira[1][25]
(Miami [FL])
2,318 George Mira[29] 231.8
1964 Jerry Rhome[1][25]
(Tulsa)
3,128 Jerry Rhome[30] 312.8
1965 Billy Anderson[1][25]
(Tulsa)
3,343 Billy Anderson[31] 334.3
1966 Virgil Carter[1][25]
(BYU)
2,545
1967 Sal Olivas[1][32]
(New Mexico State)
2,184
1968 Greg Cook[1][25]
(Cincinnati)
3,210 Greg Cook 321.0
1969 Dennis Shaw[1][25]
(San Diego State)
3,197
1970 Jim Plunkett[25]
(Stanford)
3,189 Pat Sullivan[1]
(Auburn)
285.6
1971 Don Bunce[25]
(Stanford)
2,805 Gary Huff[1]
(Florida State)
241.2
1972 Don Strock[25]
(Virginia Tech)
3,170 Don Strock[1] 288.2
1973 Jesse Freitas[25]
(San Diego State)
2,901 Jesse Freitas[1] 263.7
1974 Gene Swick[25]
(Toledo)
2,450 Steve Joachim[1]
(Temple)
222.7
1975 Gene Swick[25]
(Toledo)
2,706 Gene Swick[1] 246.0
1976 Tommy Kramer[25]
(Rice)
3,272 Tommy Kramer[1] 297.5
1977 Doug Williams[25]
(Grambling)
3,249 Doug Williams[1] 293.5
1978 Mike Ford[25]
(SMU)
2,957 Mike Ford[1] 268.8
1979 Marc Wilson[25]
(BYU)
3,580 Marc Wilson[1] 325.5
1980 Jim McMahon[25]
(BYU)
4,627 Jim McMahon[1] 385.6
1981 Sam King[25]
(UNLV)
3,562 Jim McMahon[1] 345.8
1982 Todd Dillon[25]
(Long Beach State)
3,587 Todd Dillon[1] 326.1
1983 Steve Young[25]
(BYU)
4,346 Steve Young[1] 395.1
1984 Doug Flutie[25]
(Boston College)
4,013 Robbie Bosco[1] 327.7
1985 Robbie Bosco[25]
(BYU)
4,141 Jim Everett[1]
(Purdue)
326.3
1986 Mike Perez[25]
(San Jose State)
3,250 Mike Perez[1] 329.9
1987 Todd Santos[25]
(San Diego State)
3,688 Todd Santos[1] 307.3
1988 Scott Mitchell[25]
(Utah)
4,299 Scott Mitchell[1] 390.8
1989 Andre Ware[25]
(Houston)
4,661 Andre Ware[1] 423.7
1990 David Klingler[25]
(Houston)
5,221 David Klingler[1] 474.6
1991 Ty Detmer[25]
(BYU)
4,001 Ty Detmer[1] 333.4
1992 Jimmy Klingler[25]
(Houston)
3,768 Jimmy Klingler[1] 342.5
1993 Chris Vargas[25]
(Nevada)
4,332 Chris Vargas[1] 393.8
1994 Stoney Case[25]
(New Mexico)
3,649 Mike Maxwell[1]
(Nevada)
318.0
1995 Cody Ledbetter[25]
(New Mexico State)
3,724 Mike Maxwell[1]
(Nevada)
402.6
1996 Josh Wallwork[25]
(Wyoming)
4,209 Josh Wallwork[1] 350.8
1997 Tim Rattay[25]
(Louisiana Tech)
3,968 Tim Rattay[1] 360.7
1998 Tim Rattay[25] 4,865 Tim Rattay[1] 403.3
1999 Drew Brees[25]
(Purdue)
4,086 Tim Rattay[1] 381.0
2000 Drew Brees[25]
(Purdue)
4,189 Drew Brees[1] 358.1
2001 David Carr[25]
(Fresno State)
4,906 Rex Grossman[1]
(Florida)
354.9
2002 Kliff Kingsbury[25]
(Texas Tech)
4,903 Byron Leftwich[1]
(Marshall)
355.6
2003 B. J. Symons[25]
(Texas Tech)
5,976 B. J. Symons[1] 459.7
2004 Sonny Cumbie[25]
(Texas Tech)
4,575 Sonny Cumbie[1] 381.3
2005 Colt Brennan[25]
(Hawaii)
4,455 Colt Brennan[1] 371.3
2006 Colt Brennan[25] 5,915 Colt Brennan[1] 422.5
2007 Graham Harrell[25]
(Texas Tech)
5,614 Graham Harrell[1] 431.8
2008 Case Keenum
(Houston)
5,241 Case Keenum[1] 403.2
2009 Case Keenum[25] 5,829 Case Keenum[1] 416.4
2010 Bryant Moniz
(Hawaii)
5,142 Bryant Moniz[1] 367.3
2011 Case Keenum[25]
(Houston)
5,666 Case Keenum 404.7
2012 Johnny Manziel[25]
(Texas A&M)
5,116 Johnny Manziel[1] 393.5
2013 Derek Carr[25]
(Fresno State)
5,200 Derek Carr[1] 399.9
2014 Marcus Mariota[25]
(Oregon)
5,224 Connor Halliday[1]
(Washington State)
415.8
2015 Deshaun Watson[25]
(Clemson)
5,209 Patrick Mahomes[1]
(Texas Tech)
393.0
2016 Patrick Mahomes[25]
(Texas Tech)
5,307 Patrick Mahomes[1]
(Texas Tech)
410.5
2017 Lamar Jackson[25]
(Louisville)
5,261 Lamar Jackson[1]
(Louisville)
404.7
2018 Kyler Murray[25]
(Oklahoma)
5,362 Kyler Murray[1]
(Oklahoma)
383.0
2019 Joe Burrow[25]
(LSU)
6,039 Joe Burrow[1]
(LSU)
402.6
2020 Mac Jones[25]
(Alabama)
4,514 Matt Corral[25]
(Ole Miss)
384.3
2021 Bailey Zappe[25]
(Western Kentucky)
5,984 Bailey Zappe[25]
(Western Kentucky)
427.4
2022 Drake Maye[25]
(North Carolina)
5,019 Michael Penix Jr.[25]
(Washington)
364.1
2023 Jayden Daniels[25]
(LSU)
4,946 Jayden Daniels[25]
(LSU)
412.2

Pre-1937 unofficial data

[edit]

Before 1937 the NCAA did not compile official statistics. This chart reflects unofficial total offense statistics compiled by historians mostly from newspaper accounts. Prior to 1913, total offense leaders will be almost exclusively due to rushing yards, and prior to 1906 there was no forward pass.

Unofficial leaders in total offense from 1901 to 1936
Year Name Total yards Name YPG 1936 Sammy Baugh
(TCU)
1,324
1935 Sammy Baugh
(TCU)
1,435
1934 Dixie Howell
(Alabama)
1,437 Dixie Howell 143.7
1933
1932 Pug Lund
(Minnesota)
1,203
1931
1930 Marchy Schwartz
(Notre Dame)
1,246
1929 Lloyd Brazil[33]
(Detroit)
1928 Ken Strong[34]
(NYU)
3,000 Ken Strong 300
1927 Bill Spears
(Vanderbilt)
2,001 Bill Spears 181.9
1926 Gibby Welch[35][36]
(Pittsburgh)
1,964 or 1,172
1925 Swede Oberlander
(Dartmouth)
1,147
1924 Red Grange
(Illinois)
1,176 Red Grange 147
1923
1922
1921 Aubrey Devine
(Iowa)
2,211 Aubrey Devine 315.9
1920 Jimmy Leech
(VMI)
1,771 Jimmy Leech 196.8
1919 George Gipp
(Notre Dame)
1,456 George Gipp 161.8
1918
1917
1916
1915
1914
1913
1912 Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
1,972 Jim Thorpe 140.9
1911 Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
914
1910
1909
1908 Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
993
1907
1906
1905
1904 Willie Heston
(Michigan)
686
1903
1902
1901 Willie Heston
(Michigan)
684

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2015. pp. 50–51.
  2. ^ a b c Gail Fowler (December 5, 1940). "Johnny Knolla Ground-Gaining Champ of 1940". The Decatur Review. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Schwenk Leads On The Ground". The High Point (NC) Enterprise. December 4, 1941. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Schwenk Gains 1,928 Yards in 9 Games; Sinkwich Leading Rusher". The Gettysburg Times. December 4, 1941. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(confirming that Schwenk's 1,928 yards were gained in only nine games)
  5. ^ "Total Offense Mark Broken By Sinkwich". Dixon Evening Telegraph. December 3, 1942. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Notre Dame Shatters Colorado Mark in Offense". The Portsmouth, N.H. Herald. December 4, 1943. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Oklahoma Aggies Point With Pride To Best Record In School History". The Big Spring (TX) Daily Herald. December 28, 1944. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Aggies Storm Into Dallas For Big Fray". Herald and News (Oregon). December 28, 1944. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.(Fenimore's 1,758 yards were accumulated in only eight games)
  9. ^ "Davis Sets All-Time Ball-Toting Record". The Amarillo Daily News. December 29, 1945. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ "Fenimore Smashes Previous Aggie Ball-Toting Records". Miami (OK) Daily News-Record. November 29, 1945. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com. (Fenimore's 1,641 yards were gained in eight games)
  11. ^ "Auburn Freshman Tidwell Emerges As Ground-Gaining King of '46 Gridiron". The Gallup Independent. December 11, 1946. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.(Tidwell's 1,715 yards were gained in 10 games)
  12. ^ "Bobby Layne Got Plenty Yardage For Longhorns". The Paris News. December 3, 1946. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(total offense runner-up Layne also appeared in 10 games)
  13. ^ "Enke Close To All-Time Mark". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 12, 1947. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ^ "Enke Close To All-Time Mark". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 12, 1947. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Enke's 1,941 yards second highest in history, tallied in 10 games)
  15. ^ "Passin' Stan Wins Honors In Total Offense: Nevada's Heath Leads Nation's Top Gridders With 1992 Yards". Pottstown (PA) Mercury. December 10, 1948. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ "Heath, Wendt Dominate Offenses". The Austin American. December 10, 1948. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Heath's 1,992 yards gained in only nine games)
  17. ^ "Drake Back Pigskin's Top Gainer; Don Heinrich Third; Bright Totals 2400 Yards". The Statesman, Salem, Oregon. December 11, 1950. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ "Bright 1st, Ford 5th in Nation's Total Offense". Abilene Reporter-News. December 11, 1950. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(showing that Bright's 2,400 yards of total offense were accumulated in only nine games)
  19. ^ "Kazmaier U.S. Top Gainer". Brooklyn Eagle. December 9, 1951. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ "Ted Marchibroda Tops Nation In Total Offense". The Pantagraph. December 11, 1952. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ "Experiment Clicks At California As Paul Larson Wins Offense Race". Nevada State Journal. December 6, 1953. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ "Shaw Beats Larson In Total Offense". Corpus Christi Times. December 9, 1954. p. 18B – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  23. ^ "Welsh, Luppino Win Offense Titles". Corpus Christi Times. December 7, 1955 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ "Brodie Wins Total Offense and NCAA Passing Titles". The Daily Sun (San Bernardino). December 14, 1956. p. 49 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo "Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Total Yards". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  26. ^ a b "Dick Bass Dominates Statistics". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 10, 1958 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Bass was first player since 1937 to win football's triple crown in scoring, rushing and total offense; Duncan gained 1,406 yards in nine games, one less than Bass, to lead in yards per game)
  27. ^ "Uclan Averages 188.9 Yards a Game: Kilmer Officially Gains Crown in Total Offense". The Sun (San Bernardino). December 14, 1960. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  28. ^ "Miller 2nd In Passing, Total Offense In Nation". The Daily Telegram (WI). November 29, 1961. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  29. ^ "Wins Total Offense Title: Mira's Bid To Overtake Leader Falls Two Passes, Yards Short". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 17, 1963. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(Mira's yardage gained in 10 games)
  30. ^ "Rhome Set 16 New Marks; Morton 2nd Best Passer". Independent-Journal. December 8, 1964. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(confirming Rhome gained his 3,128 yards in 10 games in 1964)
  31. ^ "Tulsa Star Sets Five Grid Marks". The Daily Telegram. December 9, 1965. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon(confirming Anderson gained his 3,343 yards in 10 games in 1965)
  32. ^ "Sal Olivas Leads In Total Offense". Las Cruces Sun-News. November 29, 1967. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  33. ^ Red Cagle had 1403
  34. ^ http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv01/CFHSNv01n5b.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  35. ^ Roberts, Jerry (December 29, 2015). Pass Receiving in Early Pro Football: A History to the 1960s. ISBN 9780786499465.
  36. ^ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2001football_finest.pdf [bare URL PDF]