Stanford Cardinal football statistical leaders explained
The Stanford Cardinal football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Stanford Cardinal football program in various categories,[1] [2] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, all-purpose yardage, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. As of the upcoming 2024 season, the Cardinal represent Stanford University in the NCAA Division I FBS Atlantic Coast Conference.
Although Stanford began competing in intercollegiate football in 1891, the school's official record book generally does not lists players from before the 1940s, as records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since the 1940s, 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] Stanford has played in a bowl game 10 times since this decision, allowing players in these years (2009 through 2017) an extra game to accumulate statistics.
- The Pac-12 Conference, in which Stanford competed from 1919 to 2023, held a championship game from 2011 until that conference's effective demise after the 2023 season. Stanford appeared in that game four times. Similarly, the ACC has held its own championship game since 2015, giving future Stanford teams a chance for another extra game.
- The top nine seasons in Stanford history in both total offensive yards and points scored have all come since 1999.[2]
These lists are updated through the end of the 2020 season.
Passing
Passing yards
Career1 | Steve Stenstrom | 10,911 | 1991 1992 1993 1994 |
2 | Andrew Luck | 9,430 | 2009 2010 2011 |
3 | Kevin Hogan | 9,385[4] | 2012 2013 2014 2015 |
4 | John Elway | 9,349 | 1979 1980 1981 1982 |
5 | Jim Plunkett | 7,809 | 1968 1969 1970 |
6 | John Paye | 7,669 | 1983 1984 1985 1986 |
7 | Todd Husak | 6,834 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
8 | Guy Benjamin | 6,215 | 1974 1975 1976 1977 |
9 | K. J. Costello | 6,151 | 2017 2018 2019 |
10 | Trent Edwards | 5,443 | 2003 2004 2005 2006 | |
Single season1 | Steve Stenstrom | 3,627 | 1993 |
2 | K. J. Costello | 3,540 | 2018 |
3 | Andrew Luck | 3,517 | 2011 |
4 | Andrew Luck | 3,338 | 2010 |
5 | John Elway | 3,242 | 1982 |
6 | Steve Dils | 3,153 | 1978 |
7 | Todd Husak | 3,092 | 1998 |
8 | Jim Plunkett | 2,980 | 1970 |
9 | Tanner McKee | 2,947[5] | 2022 |
10 | Todd Husak | 2,946 | 1999 | |
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career1 | Stepfan Taylor | 4,300 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
2 | Darrin Nelson | 4,169 | 1977 1978 1980 1981 |
3 | Christian McCaffrey | 3,922[10] | 2014 2015 2016 |
4 | | 3,865[11] | 2015 2016 2017 2018 |
5 | Toby Gerhart | 3,522 | 2006 2007 2008 2009 |
6 | | 3,010 | 1984 1985 1986 1987 |
7 | Anthony Bookman | 2,672 | 1994 1995 1996 1997 |
8 | Mike Mitchell | 2,550 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 |
9 | Tyler Gaffney | 2,500 | 2009 2010 2011 2013 |
10 | Glyn Milburn | 2,252 | 1990 1991 1992 | |
Single season1 | | 2,118 | 2017 |
2 | Christian McCaffrey | 2,019 | 2015 |
3 | Toby Gerhart | 1,871 | 2009 |
4 | Tyler Gaffney | 1,709 | 2013 |
5 | Christian McCaffrey | 1,603 | 2016 |
6 | Stepfan Taylor | 1,530 | 2012 |
7 | Stepfan Taylor | 1,330 | 2011 |
8 | Tommy Vardell | 1,188 | 1991 |
9 | Darrin Nelson | 1,161 | 1978 |
10 | Stepfan Taylor | 1,137 | 2010 | |
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career1 | Troy Walters | 4,047 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
2 | DeRonnie Pitts | 3,023 | 1997 1998 1999 2000 |
3 | Ken Margerum | 2,517 | 1977 1978 1979 1980 |
4 | Justin Armour | 2,491 | 1991 1992 1993 1994 |
5 | Darrin Nelson | 2,469 | 1977 1978 1980 1981 |
6 | Mark Bradford | 2,431 | 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 |
7 | Brian Manning | 2,365 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
8 | Ed McCaffrey | 2,333 | 1986 1987 1989 1990 |
9 | Jeff James | 2,306 | 1984 1985 1986 1987 |
10 | Emile Harry | 2,270 | 1981 1982 1983 1984 | |
Single season1 | Troy Walters | 1,508 | 1999 |
2 | Troy Walters | 1,206 | 1997 |
3 | Gene Washington | 1,117 | 1968 |
4 | Justin Armour | 1,092 | 1994 |
5 | J. J. Arcega-Whiteside | 1,059 | 2018 |
6 | Ken Margerum | 1,029 | 1978 |
7 | Mark Harris | 1,021 | 1995 |
8 | Elic Ayomanor | 1,013[27] | 2023 |
9 | DeRonnie Pitts | 1,012 | 1998 |
10 | James Lofton | 1,010 | 1977 | |
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[32]
Total offense yards
Career1 | Kevin Hogan | 10,634 | 2012 2013 2014 2015 |
2 | Andrew Luck | 10,387 | 2009 2010 2011 |
3 | Steve Stenstrom | 10,179 | 1991 1992 1993 1994 |
4 | John Elway | 9,070 | 1979 1980 1981 1982 |
5 | Jim Plunkett | 8,178 | 1968 1969 1970 |
6 | John Paye | 7,539 | 1983 1984 1985 1986 |
7 | Todd Husak | 6,680 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
8 | K. J. Costello | 6,241 | 2017 2018 2019 |
9 | Guy Benjamin | 6,043 | 1974 1975 1976 1977 |
10 | Trent Edwards | 5,642 | 2003 2004 2005 2006 | |
Single season1 | Andrew Luck | 3,791 | 2010 |
2 | Andrew Luck | 3,667 | 2011 |
3 | Steve Stenstrom | 3,398 | 1993 |
4 | Kevin Hogan | 3,203 | 2015 |
5 | Jim Plunkett | 3,189 | 1970 |
6 | John Elway | 3,104 | 1982 |
7 | Kevin Hogan | 3,087 | 2014 |
8 | Steve Dils | 3,033 | 1978 |
9 | Todd Husak | 3,026 | 1998 |
10 | Kevin Hogan | 2,985 | 2013 | |
Total touchdowns
All-purpose yardage
All-purpose yardage is the sum of all yards credited to a player who is in possession of the ball. It includes rushing, receiving, and returns, but does not include passing.[32]
Statistics are from the 2018 Stanford football record book,[2] and will be updated if necessary to reflect results from the 2018 season. The record book lists only the top six single-game performers.
Career1 | | 7,120 | |
2 | | 6,987 | 2014 2015 2016 |
3 | | 6,146 | 1990 1991 1992 |
4 | | 5,515 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
5 | | 5,190 | |
6 | | 5,095 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
7 | | 5,095 | 1984 1985 1986 1987 |
8 | | 4,662 | 1979 1980 1981 1982 |
9 | Anthony Bookman | 4,072 | 1994 1995 1996 1997 |
10 | | 3,917 | 2006 2007 2008 2009 | |
Single season1 | | 3,864 | |
2 | | 2,327 | |
3 | | 2,234 | |
4 | | 2,222 | |
5 | | 2,208 | |
6 | | 2,151 | |
7 | | 2,028 | |
8 | | 1,998 | |
9 | | 1,929 | |
10 | | 1,915 | | |
Single game1 | | 461 | | USC |
2 | | 389 | | California |
3 | | 379 | | California |
4 | | 369 | | UCLA |
| | 369 | | Washington State |
6 | | 368 | | Iowa (Rose Bowl) | |
Defense
Interceptions
Tackles
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Field goal percentage
Notes and References
- Web site: 2014 Stanford Cardinal Football History. 2015-02-10. GoStanford.com.
- Web site: 2018 Stanford Football Record Book . Stanford Cardinal . September 1, 2018.
- Web site: NCAA changes policy on football stats. 2002-08-28. 2014-09-11. ESPN.com. AP.
- Web site: Kevin Hogan. 2016-01-02. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Tanner McKee. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Stanford vs. Washington State Box Score. November 16, 2019. November 16, 2019. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Arizona erases 15-point deficit to clip Stanford . https://web.archive.org/web/20150210090152/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=292900012 . dead . February 10, 2015 . 2009-10-17 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Stanford wins Pac-12 North behind Ty Montgomery's 5 TDs . 2013-11-23 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Box Score: Stanford vs. UCLA . 2018-11-24 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Christian McCaffrey. 2017-02-02. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Bryce Love: Stats . . September 23, 2018.
- News: Love's 301 yards helps Stanford beat Arizona State 34-24 . . . September 30, 2017 . October 8, 2017.
- Web site: No. 24 Stanford wins 7th straight Big Game, beats Cal 45-31 . 2016-11-19 . ESPN.com .
- News: Bryce Love runs for 263 yards to lead Stanford past UCLA . Associated Press . ESPN.com . September 24, 2017 . October 8, 2017.
- Web site: Christian McCaffrey's huge night, Francis Owusu's catch fuel Stanford . 2015-10-15 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Stanford rides Gerhart's legs past No. 8 Oregon . https://web.archive.org/web/20131111020017/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=293110024 . dead . November 11, 2013 . 2009-11-07 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Christian McCaffrey breaks yardage record as No. 7 Stanford takes Pac-12 . 2015-12-05 . ESPN.com .
- [Pac-12 Football Championship Game]
- Web site: Hogan starts, No. 21 Stanford defeats Oregon State 42-24 . 2015-09-25 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Cameron Scarlett. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Gerhart, Stanford manhandle Washington State . https://web.archive.org/web/20130731081957/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=283060024 . dead . July 31, 2013 . 2008-11-01 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Big Game lives up to hype as Vereen has 3 TDs; late INT sinks Stanford . https://web.archive.org/web/20131218135243/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=293250024 . dead . December 18, 2013 . 2009-11-21 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Andrew Luck puts on a clinic as No. 13 Stanford handles No. 15 Arizona . https://web.archive.org/web/20131218235943/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=303100024 . dead . December 18, 2013 . 2010-11-06 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Stanford routs rival Cal 38-17 in 117th Big Game . 2014-11-22 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Stanford vs. UCLA Box Score. ESPN.com. December 19, 2020. December 19, 2020.
- Web site: Stanford vs. Louisville Box Score. ESPN.com. November 16, 2024. November 17, 2024.
- Web site: Elic Ayomanor. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Box Score: Stanford vs. Colorado . ESPN.com . October 13, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
- Web site: Box Score: San Diego State vs. Stanford . ESPN.com . August 31, 2018 . September 1, 2018.
- Web site: Stanford 45, Arizona State 35 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150210094120/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=252950024 . dead . February 10, 2015 . 2005-10-22 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: JJ Arcega-Whiteside . ESPN.com . September 23, 2018.
- Web site: 2018 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . National Collegiate Athletic Association . September 1, 2018.
- Web site: Washington vs. Stanford Box Score. October 28, 2023. October 29, 2023. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Conrad Ukropina. 2017-02-02. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Jet Toner . ESPN.com . September 23, 2018.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Nate Whitaker's five FGs give Stanford winning edge over Irish . https://web.archive.org/web/20131218135812/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=302680087 . dead . December 18, 2013 . 2010-09-25 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Arizona State vs. Stanford Box Score. October 22, 2022. November 27, 2022. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Joshua Karty. ESPN.com.