West Virginia Mountaineers football statistical leaders explained
The West Virginia Mountaineers Football Statistical Leaders are individual statistical leaders of the West Virginia Mountaineers 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. The Mountaineers represent West Virginia University in the NCAA's Big 12 Conference.
Although West Virginia began competing in intercollegiate football in 1891, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1933. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists. However, the West Virginia Football Media Guide does include the touchdown statistics, although not the yards, of Ira Errett Rodgers, who played for the Mountaineers from 1915 to 1919.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since 1933, 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 Mountaineers have played in 14 bowl games since the decision, with a 15th now assured in 2018, giving players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
- The Mountaineers ran a high-octane spread option offense under head coaches Rich Rodriguez (2001-2007) and Bill Stewart (2008-2010), which emphasized mobile quarterbacks and no huddling, allowing the teams to rack up very large numbers of yards. Since Dana Holgorsen took over in 2011, the Mountaineers have run more of an air raid spread attack, emphasizing passing on most plays. This has led to many school passing and receiving records being set. In particular, a 70–63 win over Baylor in 2012 saw more than 1,500 offensive yards between the two teams combined, and 10 single-game entries on the lists below.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2019 season.
Passing
Passing yards
Career1 | | 11,662 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
2 | | 8,153 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
3 | | 7,354[4] | 2017 2018 |
4 | | 7,302 | 2014 2015 2016 |
5 | Jarret Doege | 6,453[5] | 2019 2020 2021 |
6 | | 6,049 | 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
7 | Chad Johnston | 5,954 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
8 | | 5,765 | 1978 1979 1980 1981 |
9 | | 5,558 | 2001 2002 2003 2004 |
10 | | 5,173 | 1987 1988 1989 | |
Single season1 | Geno Smith | 4,385 | 2011 |
2 | Geno Smith | 4,205 | 2012 |
3 | | 3,864 | 2018 |
4 | | 3,607 | 1998 |
5 | | 3,490 | 2017 |
6 | | 3,328[6] | 2016 |
7 | | 3,285[7] | 2014 |
8 | | 3,145 | 2015 |
9 | Jarret Doege | 3,048 | 2021 |
10 | | 2,763 | 2010 | |
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career1 | Avon Cobourne | 5,164 | 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
2 | Pat White | 4,480 | 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
3 | Noel Devine | 4,315 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 |
4 | Amos Zereoué | 4,086 | 1996 1997 1998 |
5 | Steve Slaton | 3,923 | 2005 2006 2007 |
6 | Leddie Brown | 2,888[20] | 2018 2019 2020 2021 |
7 | Arthur Owens | 2,648 | 1972 1973 1974 1975 |
8 | Robert Walker | 2,620 | 1993 1994 1995 |
9 | Quincy Wilson | 2,608 | 1999 2001 2002 2003 |
10 | Wendell Smallwood | 2,462 | 2013 2014 2015 | |
Single season1 | Steve Slaton | 1,744 | 2006 |
2 | Avon Cobourne | 1,710 | 2002 |
3 | Amos Zereoué | 1,589 | 1997 |
4 | Wendell Smallwood | 1,519[21] | 2015 |
5 | Noel Devine | 1,465 | 2009 |
6 | Amos Zereoué | 1,462 | 1998 |
7 | Quincy Wilson | 1,380 | 2003 |
8 | Pat White | 1,335 | 2007 |
9 | Avon Cobourne | 1,298 | 2001 |
10 | Robert Walker | 1,250 | 1993 | |
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career1 | Tavon Austin | 3,413 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
2 | Stedman Bailey | 3,218 | 2010 2011 2012 |
3 | David Saunders | 2,608 | 1995 1996 1997 1998 |
4 | Khori Ivy | 2,402 | 1997 1998 1999 2000 |
5 | Shawn Foreman | 2,347 | 1995 1996 1997 1998 |
6 | | 2,294 | 2015 2016 2017 2018 |
7 | Daikiel Shorts | 2,263 | 2013 2014 2015 2016 |
8 | Sam James | 2,229 | 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 |
9 | Rahsaan Vanterpool | 2,022 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
10 | Jock Sanders | 1,980 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 | |
Receiving touchdowns
Single game1 | | 5 | 2012 | Baylor | |
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[45]
Total offense yards
Career1 | Geno Smith | 12,004 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
2 | Pat White | 10,529 | 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
3 | Skyler Howard | 8,407 | 2014 2015 2016 |
4 | Marc Bulger | 7,827 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
5 | | 7,598 | 2001 2002 2003 2004 |
6 | | 7,386 | 2017 2018 |
7 | | 7,334 | 1987 1988 1989 |
8 | | 6,282 | 1978 1979 1980 1981 |
9 | Jarret Doege | 6,170 | 2019 2020 2021 |
10 | Chad Johnston | 5,664 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 | |
Single season1 | Geno Smith | 4,356 | 2012 |
2 | Geno Smith | 4,352 | 2011 |
3 | | 3,791 | 2016 |
4 | | 3,774 | 2018 |
5 | | 3,647 | 2015 |
6 | | 3,612 | 2017 |
7 | | 3,515 | 1998 |
8 | | 3,179 | 2014 |
9 | Garrett Greene | 3,178[46] | 2023 |
10 | | 3,059 | 2007 | |
Single game1 | | 687 | | Baylor |
2 | | 555 | | Arizona State (Cactus Bowl) |
3 | | 517 | | Oklahoma |
4 | | 507 | | Maryland |
5 | | 468 | | LSU |
6 | | 439 | | Youngstown State |
7 | | 438[47] | | Houston |
8 | | 433 | | Clemson (Orange Bowl) |
9 | | 431 | | Connecticut |
10 | | 429 | | James Madison |
| | 429 | | Tennessee | |
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[48]
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.[45]
West Virginia's 2018 media guide fully lists single-game all-purpose yardage records, but does not break them down by individual statistics.[2]
Career1 | | 7,286 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
2 | | 5,761 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 |
3 | | 5,623 | 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
4 | | 4,775 | 2005 2006 2007 |
5 | | 4,628 | 1996 1997 1998 |
6 | | 4,480 | 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
7 | | 3,971 | 1969 1970 1971 |
8 | Rahsaan Vanterpool | 3,850 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
9 | | 3,630 | 2013 2014 2015 |
10 | | 3,575 | 1978 1979 1980 | |
Single season1 | | 2,910 | 2012 |
2 | | 2,574 | 2011 |
3 | | 2,104 | 2006 |
4 | | 1,856 | 2002 |
5 | | 1,814 | 1998 |
6 | | 1,781 | 2012 |
7 | | 1,742 | 2009 |
8 | | 1,720 | 1997 |
9 | | 1,691 | 2014 |
10 | | 1,679 | 2015 | |
Single game1 | | 572 | | Oklahoma |
2 | | 345 | | Pittsburgh |
3 | | 341 | | Pittsburgh |
4 | | 337 | | East Carolina |
5 | | 331 | | Oklahoma |
6 | Kerry Marbury | 323 | | Temple |
7 | | 312 | | Richmond |
8 | | 311 | | Iowa State |
9 | | 303 | | Baylor |
10 | | 287 | | LSU | |
Defense
Note: Recent West Virginia football media guides have not generally listed a top 10 in the defensive categories. This has been confirmed true for both the 2014 and 2018 editions.
Interceptions
Single game1 | Andrew King | 4 | 1915 | Marietta |
| Francis Fairley | 4 | 1925 | Pittsburgh |
| Mike Slater | 4 | 1969 | Kentucky | |
Tackles
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Field goal percentage
Notes and References
- Web site: 2014 West Virginia Mountaineers Media Guide. November 16, 2014. WVUSports.com.
- Web site: 2018 West Virginia University Football Guide . July 16, 2018 . West Virginia Mountaineers . September 27, 2018.
- Web site: NCAA changes policy on football stats. August 28, 2002. September 11, 2014. ESPN.com. AP.
- Web site: Will Grier . ESPN.com . November 24, 2018.
- Web site: Jarret Doege. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Skyler Howard. January 21, 2017. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Clint Trickett. January 3, 2015. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Geno Smith throws for 656 yards, 8 TDs in WVU's wild 70-63 win. September 29, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Box Score: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia . ESPN.com . November 23, 2018 . November 24, 2018.
- Web site: West Virginia beats Arizona State 43-42 in Cactus Bowl . January 2, 2016 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: West Virginia squeezes past Maryland 40-37. September 13, 2014. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Jarrett Lee tosses 3 TDs as LSU makes case for No. 1 with drubbing of WVU. https://web.archive.org/web/20130522060923/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=312670277. dead. May 22, 2013. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia pulls away after half to rip Connecticut. https://web.archive.org/web/20130522155856/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=312810277. dead. May 22, 2013. October 8, 2011. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Box Score: West Virginia vs. Tennessee . ESPN.com . September 1, 2018 . September 1, 2018.
- Web site: Geno Smith, No. 9 West Virginia drub James Madison. September 15, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia routs Clemson in record-setting Orange Bowl. https://web.archive.org/web/20121208052003/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=320040228. dead. December 8, 2012. January 4, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: White tosses career-high 5 TDs as West Virginia handles Villanova. https://web.archive.org/web/20131218085801/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=282430277. dead. December 18, 2013. August 30, 2008. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Howard throws 5 TDs, W. Virginia beats Youngstown St. 38-21 . September 10, 2016 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Box Score: Kansas State vs. West Virginia . ESPN.com . September 22, 2018 . September 22, 2018.
- Web site: Leddie Brown. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Wendell Smallwood. January 3, 2016. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Landry Jones tosses 6 TD passes as Sooners avoid upset. November 17, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Harris scores 4 TDs, Mountaineers run for 478 yards. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085952/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=242480277. dead. November 29, 2014. September 4, 2004. ESPN.com.
- Web site: One-sided Big 12 showdown: No. 9 Oklahoma routs No. 14 WVU . November 19, 2016 . ESPN.com .
- Web site: Dustin Garrison boosts West Virginia past Bowling Green with 291 rushing yards. https://web.archive.org/web/20131218095644/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=312740277. dead. December 18, 2013. October 1, 2011. ESPN.com.
- Web site: White runs for 247 yards, 4 TDs as WVU pulls away from Syracuse. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085959/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=262870277. dead. November 29, 2014. October 14, 2006. ESPN.com.
- Web site: White breaks rushing record as No. 12 West Virginia rolls. https://web.archive.org/web/20141109013255/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=253280277. dead. November 9, 2014. November 24, 2005. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Slaton (345 total yards, 4 TDs) leads No. 8 WVU past Pitt. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085848/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=263200221. dead. November 29, 2014. November 16, 2006. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Devine shines as West Virginia adds to Colorado's early-season woes. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085739/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=292740277. dead. November 29, 2014. October 1, 2009. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Freshman QB Slaton scores 6 TDs for Mountaineers. https://archive.today/20141124035609/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=252880277. dead. November 24, 2014. October 15, 2005. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Sam James. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Daikiel Shorts . January 17, 2017. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Gary Jennings Jr. . ESPN.com . November 24, 2018.
- Web site: Johnathan Gray's 3 TDs push Texas past No. 23 West Virginia. November 8, 2014. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Texas Tech vs. West Virginia Box Score. November 9, 2019. November 9, 2019. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Geno Smith, Tavon Austin team as West Virginia outlasts Maryland. September 22, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia upends Texas Tech 37-34. October 11, 2014. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Ka'Raun White . ESPN.com . April 11, 2018.
- Web site: David Sills V . ESPN.com . October 27, 2018.
- Web site: Clint Chelf has 4 TDs in 1st start, propels Okla. St. by WVU. November 10, 2012. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Iowa St beats West Virginia 52-44 in 3 OTs. November 30, 2013. ESPN.com.
- Web site: WEST VIRGINIA 34, SYRACUSE 23. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219160321/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=233260183. dead. December 19, 2013. November 22, 2003. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Shelton Gibson . January 17, 2017. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Mario Alford. January 3, 2015. ESPN.com.
- Web site: 2018 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . National Collegiate Athletic Association . September 1, 2018.
- Web site: Garrett Greene. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia vs. Houston Box Score. ESPN.com. October 12, 2023. October 13, 2023.
- Web site: 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 12 . December 4, 2021.
- Web site: WVU Sports Hall of Fame: Ira Errett Rodgers. January 3, 2015. WVUSports.com. Antonik. John.
- Web site: Dante Stills. ESPN.com.
- Web site: WVU rides stout defense to win over Pitt. November 26, 2011. ESPN.com. Adelson. Andrea.
- Web site: Josh Lambert. January 21, 2017. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Evan Staley. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Michael Hayes. ESPN.com.
- Web site: WVU outlasts Rutgers in 3 OT thriller; Louisville gets Big East BCS bid. https://archive.today/20150118223717/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=263360277. dead. January 18, 2015. December 2, 2006. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia's Bitancurt kicks four FGs vs. Liberty. https://web.archive.org/web/20140806232421/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=292480277. dead. August 6, 2014. September 5, 2009. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Bitancurt's leg fuels West Virginia's upset of No. 9 Pittsburgh. https://web.archive.org/web/20131218135937/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?id=293310277. dead. December 18, 2013. November 27, 2009. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Syracuse tops West Virginia in Camping World Bowl, 34-18. December 28, 2018. ESPN.com.
- Web site: West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech Box Score. September 22, 2022. September 24, 2022. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Michael Hayes. ESPN.com.
- Web site: Casey Legg. ESPN.com.