List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders

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]

B. J. Symons

Total offense leaders

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

Year Name Total offense Name Total off. /game
1937Byron White[1]
(Colorado)
1596
1938Davey O'Brien[1]
(TCU)
1847
1939Kenny Washington[1]
(UCLA)
1370Tom Harmon[2]
(Michigan)
169.5
1940Johnny Knolla[1][2]
(Creighton)
1420Tom Harmon[2]
(Michigan)
168.3
1941Bud Schwenk[1][3]
(Washington University [STL])
1928Bud Schwenk[4]214.2
1942Frank Sinkwich[1][5]
(Georgia)
2187
1943R. Hoernschemeyer[1][6]
(Indiana)
1648
1944Bob Fenimore[1][7]
(Oklahoma State)
1758Bob Fenimore[8]219.75
1945Bob Fenimore[1][9]
(Oklahoma State)
1641Bob Fenimore[10]205.1
1946Travis Tidwell[1]
(Auburn)
1715Travis Tidwell[11][12]171.5
1947Fred Enke[1][13]
(Arizona)
1941Fred Enke[14]194.1
1948Stan Heath[1][15]
(Nevada)
1992Stan Heath[16]221.3
1949Johnny Bright[1]
(Drake)
1950
1950Johnny Bright[1][17]
(Drake)
2400Johnny Bright[18]266.7
1951Dick Kazmaier[1][19]
(Princeton)
1827
1952Ted Marchibroda[1][20]
(Detroit)
1813
1953Paul Larson[1][21]
(California)
1572
1954George Shaw[1][22]
(Oregon)
1536
1955George Welsh[1][23]1348
1956John Brodie[1][24]
(Stanford)
1642
1957Bob Newman[1][25]
(Washington State)
1444
1958Dick Bass[1][26]
(Pacific)
1440Randy Duncan[26]
(Iowa)
156.2
1959Dick Norman[1][25]
(Stanford)
2018
1960Billy Kilmer[1][25]
(UCLA)
1889Billy Kilmer[27]188.9
1961Dave Hoppman[1][25]
(Iowa State)
1638Dave Hoppman[28]163.8
1962Terry Baker[1][25]
(Oregon State)
2276
1963George Mira[1][25]
(Miami [FL])
2318George Mira[29]231.8
1964Jerry Rhome[1][25]
(Tulsa)
3128Jerry Rhome[30]312.8
1965Billy Anderson[1][25]
(Tulsa)
3343Billy Anderson[31]334.3
1966Virgil Carter[1][25]
(BYU)
2545
1967Sal Olivas[1][32]
(New Mexico State)
2184
1968Greg Cook[1][25]
(Cincinnati)
3210Greg Cook321.0
1969Dennis Shaw[1][25]
(San Diego State)
3197
1970Jim Plunkett[25]
(Stanford)
3189Pat Sullivan[1]
(Auburn)
285.6
1971Don Bunce[25]
(Stanford)
2805Gary Huff[1]
(Florida State)
241.2
1972Don Strock[25]
(Virginia Tech)
3170Don Strock[1]288.2
1973Jesse Freitas[25]
(San Diego State)
2901Jesse Freitas[1]263.7
1974Gene Swick[25]
(Toledo)
2450Steve Joachim[1]
(Temple)
222.7
1975Gene Swick[25]
(Toledo)
2706Gene Swick[1]246.0
1976Tommy Kramer[25]
(Rice)
3272Tommy Kramer[1]297.5
1977Doug Williams[25]
(Grambling)
3249Doug Williams[1]293.5
1978Mike Ford[25]
(SMU)
2957Mike Ford[1]268.8
1979Marc Wilson[25]
(BYU)
3580Marc Wilson[1]325.5
1980Jim McMahon[25]
(BYU)
4627Jim McMahon[1]385.6
1981Sam King[25]
(UNLV)
3562Jim McMahon[1]345.8
1982Todd Dillon[25]
(Long Beach State)
3587Todd Dillon[1]326.1
1983Steve Young[25]
(BYU)
4346Steve Young[1]395.1
1984Doug Flutie[25]
(Boston College)
4013Robbie Bosco[1]327.7
1985Robbie Bosco[25]
(BYU)
4141Jim Everett[1]
(Purdue)
326.3
1986Mike Perez[25]
(San Jose State)
3250Mike Perez[1]329.9
1987Todd Santos[25]
(San Diego State)
3688Todd Santos[1]307.3
1988Scott Mitchell[25]
(Utah)
4299Scott Mitchell[1]390.8
1989Andre Ware[25]
(Houston)
4661Andre Ware[1]423.7
1990David Klingler[25]
(Houston)
5221David Klingler[1]474.6
1991Ty Detmer[25]
(BYU)
4001Ty Detmer[1]333.4
1992Jimmy Klingler[25]
(Houston)
3768Jimmy Klingler[1]342.5
1993Chris Vargas[25]
(Nevada)
4332Chris Vargas[1]393.8
1994Stoney Case[25]
(New Mexico)
3649Mike Maxwell[1]
(Nevada)
318.0
1995Cody Ledbetter[25]
(New Mexico State)
3724Mike Maxwell[1]
(Nevada)
402.6
1996Josh Wallwork[25]
(Wyoming)
4209Josh Wallwork[1]350.8
1997Tim Rattay[25]
(Louisiana Tech)
3968Tim Rattay[1]360.7
1998Tim Rattay[25]4865Tim Rattay[1]403.3
1999Drew Brees[25]
(Purdue)
4086Tim Rattay[1]381.0
2000Drew Brees[25]
(Purdue)
4189Drew Brees[1]358.1
2001David Carr[25]
(Fresno State)
4906Rex Grossman[1]
(Florida)
354.9
2002Kliff Kingsbury[25]
(Texas Tech)
4903Byron Leftwich[1]
(Marshall)
355.6
2003B. J. Symons[25]
(Texas Tech)
5976B. J. Symons[1]459.7
2004Sonny Cumbie[25]
(Texas Tech)
4575Sonny Cumbie[1]381.3
2005Colt Brennan[25]
(Hawaii)
4455Colt Brennan[1]371.3
2006Colt Brennan[25]5915Colt Brennan[1]422.5
2007Graham Harrell[25]
(Texas Tech)
5614Graham Harrell[1]431.8
2008Case Keenum
(Houston)
5241Case Keenum[1]403.2
2009Case Keenum[25]5829Case Keenum[1]416.4
2010Bryant Moniz
(Hawaii)
5142Bryant Moniz[1]367.3
2011Case Keenum[25]
(Houston)
5666Case Keenum404.7
2012Johnny Manziel[25]
(Texas A&M)
5116Johnny Manziel[1]393.5
2013Derek Carr[25]
(Fresno State)
5200Derek Carr[1]399.9
2014Marcus Mariota[25]
(Oregon)
5224Connor Halliday[1]
(Washington State)
415.8
2015Deshaun Watson[25]
(Clemson)
5209Patrick Mahomes[1]
(Texas Tech)
393.0
2016Patrick Mahomes[25]
(Texas Tech)
5307Patrick Mahomes[1]
(Texas Tech)
410.5
2017Lamar Jackson[25]
(Louisville)
5261Lamar Jackson[1]
(Louisville)
404.7
2018Kyler Murray[25]
(Oklahoma)
5362Kyler Murray[1]
(Oklahoma)
383.0
2019Joe Burrow[25]
(LSU)
6039Joe Burrow[1]
(LSU)
402.6
2020 Mac Jones
(Alabama)
4514 Matt Corral
(Ole Miss)
384.3

Pre-1937 unofficial data

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.

Year Name Total offense Name Total off. /game
1936Sammy Baugh
(TCU)
1324
1935Sammy Baugh
(TCU)
1435
1934Dixie Howell
(Alabama)
1437Dixie Howell143.7
1933
1932Pug Lund
(Minnesota)
1203
1931
1930Marchy Schwartz
(Notre Dame)
1246
1929Lloyd Brazil[33]
(Detroit)
1928Ken Strong[34]
(NYU)
3000Ken Strong300
1927Bill Spears
(Vanderbilt)
2001Bill Spears181.9
1926Gibby Welch[35][36]
(Pittsburgh)
1964 or 1172
1925Swede Oberlander
(Dartmouth)
1147+
1924Red Grange
(Illinois)
1176Red Grange147
1923
1922
1921Aubrey Devine
(Iowa)
2211Aubrey Devine315.9
1920Jimmy Leech
(VMI)
1771Jimmy Leech196.8
1919George Gipp
(Notre Dame)
1456George Gipp161.8
1918
1917
1916
1915
1914
1913
1912Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
1972Jim Thorpe140.9
1911Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
914
1910
1909
1908Jim Thorpe
(Carlisle)
993
1907
1906
1905
1904Willie Heston
(Michigan)
686
1903
1902
1901Willie Heston
(Michigan)
684

References

  1. "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2015. pp. 50–51.
  2. Gail Fowler (December 5, 1940). "Johnny Knolla Ground-Gaining Champ of 1940". The Decatur Review. p. 11 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Schwenk Leads On The Ground". The High Point (NC) Enterprise. December 4, 1941. p. 22 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Schwenk Gains 1,928 Yards in 9 Games; Sinkwich Leading Rusher". The Gettysburg Times. December 4, 1941. p. 3 via Newspapers.com. (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.
  6. "Notre Dame Shatters Colorado Mark in Offense". The Portsmouth, N.H. Herald. December 4, 1943. p. 6 via Newspapers.com.
  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.
  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.
  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. (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.
  14. "Enke Close To All-Time Mark". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 12, 1947. p. 17 via Newspapers.com. (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.
  16. "Heath, Wendt Dominate Offenses". The Austin American. December 10, 1948. p. 27 via Newspapers.com. (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.
  18. "Bright 1st, Ford 5th in Nation's Total Offense". Abilene Reporter-News. December 11, 1950. p. 28 via Newspapers.com. (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.
  20. "Ted Marchibroda Tops Nation In Total Offense". The Pantagraph. December 11, 1952. p. 34 via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Experiment Clicks At California As Paul Larson Wins Offense Race". Nevada State Journal. December 6, 1953. p. 15 via Newspapers.com.
  22. "Shaw Beats Larson In Total Offense". Corpus Christi Times. December 9, 1954. p. 18B via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Welsh, Luppino Win Offense Titles". Corpus Christi Times. December 7, 1955 via Newspapers.com.
  24. "Brodie Wins Total Offense and NCAA Passing Titles". The Daily Sun (San Bernardino). December 14, 1956. p. 49 via Newspapers.com.
  25. "Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Total Yards". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  26. "Dick Bass Dominates Statistics". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 10, 1958 via Newspapers.com. (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.
  28. "Miller 2nd In Passing, Total Offense In Nation". The Daily Telegram (WI). November 29, 1961. p. 17 via Newspapers.com.
  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. (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. (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. (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.
  33. Red Cagle had 1403
  34. http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv01/CFHSNv01n5b.pdf
  35. Roberts, Jerry (2015-12-29). 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
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.