Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football statistical leaders explained
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football program in various categories,[1] [2] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive statistics, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Ragin' Cajuns represent the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the NCAA's Sun Belt Conference.
Although Louisiana began competing in intercollegiate football in 1902,[2] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1949. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since 1949, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
- The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
- Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[3] The Ragin' Cajuns have played in nine bowl games since this decision (all since 2011). This has given many recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics. While two of Louisiana's nine bowl appearances are not recognized by the NCAA due to sanctions imposed by that body, individual statistics from those games are recognized by the NCAA, provided that the players involved were not declared ineligible.
- The Sun Belt Conference has held a championship game since 2018. The Ragin' Cajuns qualified for the first four editions (2018–2021), although the 2020 edition was not played due to COVID-19 issues. This has given players in those seasons an extra game in which to accumulate statistics.
- Due to COVID-19 disruptions throughout college football, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against the eligibility of any football player, giving every player who participated in that season the chance for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
These lists are updated through the 2021 season.
Passing
Passing yards
Career| 1 | | 9,216 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
| 2 | | 9,203 | 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 |
| 3 | | 7,556 | 2012 2013 2014 |
| 4 | Jerry Babb | 6,241 | 2003 2004 2005 2006 |
| 5 | Brian Mitchell | 5,447 | |
| 6 | Jon Van Cleave | 5,267 | |
| 7 | Chris Masson | 4,757 | |
| 8 | Roy Henry | 4,656 | |
| 9 | Blaine Gautier | 4,159 | |
| 10 | Michael Desormeaux | 3,893 | | |
Single season| 1 | | 3,050[4] | |
| 2 | Blaine Gautier | 2,958 | 2011 |
| 3 | | 2,917 | |
| 4 | | 2,901 | 1996 |
| 5 | | 2,842 | 2012 |
| 6 | | 2,761 | 1995 |
| 7 | Jon Van Cleave | 2,499 | 2001 |
| 8 | | 2,419 | 2013 |
| 9 | Chris Masson | 2,406 | 2009 |
| 10 | Jerry Babb | 2,345 | 2004 | |
Single game| 1 | Eric Rekieta | 473 | | Louisiana-Monroe |
| 2 | Blaine Gautier | 470 | | San Diego State
(New Orleans Bowl) |
| 3 | Jerry Babb | 435 | | Middle Tennessee |
| 4 | Blaine Gautier | 419 | | Western Kentucky |
| 5 | Jon Van Cleave | 407 | | Idaho |
| 6 | Jon Van Cleave | 396 | | Middle Tennessee |
| 7 | Brad McGuire | 384 | | Ohio |
| 8 | Terrance Broadway | 374 | | Arkansas State |
| 9 | Terrance Broadway | 373 | | Louisiana–Monroe |
| 10 | | 371 | | Louisiana Tech | |
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career| 1 | Tyrell Fenroy | 4,646 | |
| 2 | Elijah McGuire | 4,312 | |
| 3 | Trey Ragas | 3,572 | 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
| 4 | Brian Mitchell | 3,335 | |
| 5 | Alonzo Harris | 3,330 | |
| 6 | | 3,259[7] | 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
| 7 | Michael Desormeaux | 2,843 | |
| 8 | Darren Brister | 2,432 | |
| 9 | Kenyon Cotton | 2,311 | |
| 10 | Chris Smith | 2,166[8] | 2019 2020 2021 2022 | |
Single season| 1 | Tyrell Fenroy | 1,375 | |
| 2 | Brian Mitchell | 1,311 | |
| 3 | Elijah McGuire | 1,264 | |
| 4 | Tyrell Fenroy | 1,197 | |
| 5 | Trey Ragas | 1,181 | |
| 6 | Elijah Mitchell | 1,147 | 2019 |
| 7 | Michael Desormeaux | 1,141 | |
| 8 | Elijah McGuire | 1,127 | |
| 9 | Elijah McGuire | 1,058 | |
| 10 | Tyrell Fenroy | 1,053 | | |
Single game| 1 | Tyrell Fenroy | 297 | | Louisiana-Monroe |
| 2 | Brian Mitchell | 271 | | Colorado State |
| 3 | Elijah McGuire | 265 | | Arkansas State |
| 4 | F. G. Mixon | 261 | | Stephen F. Austin |
| 5 | Chris Smith | 238[9] | | Arkansas State |
| 6 | Brian Mitchell | 232 | | Arkansas State |
| 7 | Elijah McGuire | 223 | | South Alabama |
| 8 | Dwayne Williams | 222 | | Tulane |
| 9 | Brian Mitchell | 214 | | Lamar |
| 10 | Darren Brister | 204 | | Arkansas State | |
Rushing touchdowns
Single game| 1 | Brian Mitchell | 5 | | Lamar |
| | 5 | | South Alabama |
| Elijah McGuire | 5 | | Northwestern State |
| 4 | 9 times | 4 | Most recent: Alonzo Harris & Elijah McGuire,
2014 vs. Arkansas State | |
Receiving
Receptions
Single game| 1 | Nick Dugas | 14 | | Arkansas State |
| 2 | Fred Stamps | 13 | | Middle Tennessee |
| Ladarius Green | 13 | | Louisiana-Monroe |
| Harry Peoples | 13 | | Western Kentucky |
| 5 | Brandon Stokley | 12 | | Louisiana Tech |
| Harry Peoples | 12 | | Florida Atlantic |
| Jamal Robinson | 12 | | New Mexico State |
| Keenan Barnes | 12 | | Texas A&M | |
Receiving yards
Career| 1 | Brandon Stokley | 3,702 | |
| 2 | Fred Stamps | 2,789 | |
| 3 | Jamal Robinson | 2,653 | |
| 4 | Ja'Marcus Bradley | 2,359 | |
| 5 | Donald Richard | 2,326 | |
| 6 | Ladarius Green | 2,201 | |
| 7 | Javone Lawson | 2,107 | |
| 8 | Wayde Butler | 2,076 | |
| 9 | Bill Sampy | 1,988 | |
| 10 | Willie Culpepper | 1,967 | | |
Receiving touchdowns
Single game| 1 | Calvin Jones | 3 | | Louisiana Tech |
| Marcus Carter | 3 | | Tulane |
| Brandon Stokley | 3 | | Arkansas State |
| Fred Stamps | 3 | | Middle Tennessee |
| | 3 | | North Texas |
| Ja'Marcus Bradley | 3 | | South Alabama< | --Louisiana's 2021 media guide lists a date on which the Cajuns didn't play. Sports-Reference game logs for Bradley list him with 3 TDs against South Alabama that season.--> | |
|---|
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[14]
Total offense yards
Career| 1 | | 10,291 | 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 |
| 2 | | 9,420 | 2012 2013 2014 |
| 3 | | 8,876 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
| 4 | Brian Mitchell | 8,782 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
| 5 | Jerry Babb | 7,730 | 2003 2004 2005 2006 |
| 6 | Michael Desormeaux | 6,736 | 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
| 7 | Jon Van Cleave | 5,269 | 2002 2003 2004 |
| 8 | Blaine Gautier | 5,042 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
| 9 | Chris Masson | 4,975 | 2008 2009 2010 2011 |
| 10 | Roy Henry | 4,793 | 1975 1976 1977 | |
Single season| 1 | Terrance Broadway | 3,611 | 2012 |
| 2 | Blaine Gautier | 3,444 | 2011 |
| 3 | Brian Mitchell | 3,277 | 1989 |
| 4 | | 3,260 | 2021 |
| 5 | | 3,245 | 2019 |
| 6 | | 2,948 | 2014 |
| 7 | | 2,911 | 2008 |
| 8 | | 2,861 | |
| 9 | | 2,822 | |
| 10 | | 2,769 | 1995 | |
Single game| 1 | Blaine Gautier | 492 | | San Diego State
(New Orleans Bowl) |
| 2 | Brian Mitchell | 476 | | Colorado State |
| Eric Rekieta | 476 | | Louisiana-Monroe |
| 4 | Jerry Babb | 474 | | Middle Tennessee |
| 5 | Terrance Broadway | 460[15] | | Louisiana-Monroe | |
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the official NCAA term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[16] The 2021 Louisiana media guide does not list leaders in this statistic over any time frame, although past editions have done so.
Defense
Interceptions
Single season| 1 | Ed Pratt | 9 | |
| Mike McDonald | 9 | |
| Orlando Thomas | 9 | |
| 4 | Mike McDonald | 8 | |
| Ron Irving | 8 | | |
Single game| 1 | Mike McDonald | 4 | | Northeast Louisiana | |
Tackles
Single game| 1 | Frank Bartley | 30 | | Southern Illinois | |
Sacks
Single season| 1 | | 11.5 | 2014 |
| 2 | Conrad Lewis | 11.0 | 1993 |
| Jeff Mitchell | 11.0 | 1993 |
| 4 | Chauncey Manac | 10.5 | 2021 |
| 5 | Paul Cabbie | 9.0 | 1996 |
| Joe Dillon | 9.0 | 2019 |
| 7 | Danny Scott | 8.0 | 1998 |
| Cameron Whitfield | 8.0[21] | 2023 | |
Single game| 1 | | 4.0 | | Middle Tennessee |
| Chauncey Manac | 4.0[22] | | Liberty | |
Kicking
Field goals made
Career| 1 | Steven Artigue | 53 | |
| 2 | John Roveto | 45 | |
| Brett Baer | 45 | |
| 4 | Patrick Broussard | 44 | |
| 5 | Sean Comiskey | 42 | |
| 6 | Kenneth Almendares | 41[23] | 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 |
| 7 | Mike Lemoine | 38 | | |
Single season| 1 | Brett Baer | 20 | |
| 2 | John Roveto | 19 | 1977 |
| Steven Artigue | 19[24] | |
| 4 | Brett Baer | 18 | |
| Hunter Stover | 18 | |
| Kenneth Almendares | 18[25] | 2022 |
| 7 | Steven Artigue | 16 | 2019 |
| 8 | Rafael Septién | 15 | |
| 9 | John Roveto | 14 | |
| Mike Shafer | 14 | |
| Sean Comiskey | 14 | |
| Kenneth Almendares | 14 | 2023 | |
Single game| 1 | Rafael Septién | 6 | | San Jose State |
| Mike Lemoine | 6 | | Central Michigan | |
Field goal percentage
Single season| 1 | Mike Shafer | 100.0% | |
| Brett Baer | 100.0% | |
| 3 | Brett Baer | 90.0% | | |
Notes and References
- Web site: 2016 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Media Guide . August 20, 2016. issuu.com.
- Web site: 2021 Louisiana Football Media Guide . Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns . August 7, 2021 . November 22, 2021.
- Web site: NCAA changes policy on football stats. August 28, 2002. August 20, 2016. ESPN. AP.
- Web site: Levi Lewis . ESPN . December 22, 2021.
- Web site: Ben Wooldridge. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Box Score. ESPN. October 22, 2022. November 27, 2022.
- Web site: Elijah Mitchell. ESPN.
- Web site: Chris Smith. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Louisiana vs. Arkansas State Box Score. ESPN. October 21, 2021. October 22, 2021.
- Web site: Montrell Johnson. ESPN . December 22, 2021.
- Web site: Al Riles . December 18, 2016. ESPN.com .
- Web site: Peter LeBlanc. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Ja'Marcus Bradley. ESPN.
- Web site: 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 9 . December 4, 2021.
- Web site: Louisiana-Lafayette 40, Louisiana-Monroe 24 . November 3, 2012 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 12 . December 4, 2021.
- Web site: Anthony Jennings . December 18, 2016. ESPN.com .
- Web site: Bralen Trahan. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Chauncey Manac . ESPN . December 22, 2021.
- Web site: Joe Dillon. ESPN.
- Web site: Cameron Whitfield. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Chauncey Manac: Game Log . ESPN . December 22, 2021.
- Web site: Kenneth Almendares.
- Web site: Steven Artigue . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Kenneth Almendares.
