Marshall Thundering Herd football statistical leaders
The Marshall Thundering Herd football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Marshall Thundering Herd football program in various categories,[1] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Thundering Herd represent Marshall University in the NCAA's Conference USA.
Although Marshall began competing in intercollegiate football in 1895,[1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1950. 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 1950, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
- With the exception of the World War II years, freshmen were not allowed to play until the 1971 season in the aftermath of the crash of Southern Airways Flight 932. The NCAA allowed freshmen at all schools to start playing in 1972.
- Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[2] The Thundering Herd have played in seven bowl games since this decision, giving many recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
- Although bowl games were not counted toward single-season and career statistics until 2002, games in NCAA championship tournaments have always been included. This is relevant because Marshall had a very successful tenure in Division I-AA, now known as the Football Championship Subdivision. When Marshall first played at the I-AA level in 1982, the tournament involved 12 teams; it expanded to 16 teams in 1986, remaining at that size through Marshall's final I-AA season in 1996. The Herd were regularly involved in the division's championship tournament, advancing to the championship game seven times and winning it twice. Several single-season records date from this era.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2016 season.
Passing
Passing yards
Career
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Years |
1 | Rakeem Cato | 14,079 | 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
2 | Chad Pennington | 13,143 | 1995 1997 1998 1999 |
3 | Byron Leftwich | 11,903 | 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
4 | Michael Payton | 9,411 | 1989 1990 1991 1992 |
5 | Todd Donnan | 7,050 | 1991 1992 1993 1994 |
6 | John Gregory | 7,020 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
7 | Carl Fodor | 6,655 | 1982 1983 1984 1985 |
8 | Tony Petersen | 6,501 | 1986 1987 |
9 | Bernard Morris | 5,616 | 2004 2005 2006 2007 |
10 | Brian Anderson | 5,403 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 |
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Year |
1 | Tony Petersen | 4,902 | 1987 |
2 | Byron Leftwich | 4,268 | 2002 |
3 | Rakeem Cato | 4,201 | 2012 |
4 | Byron Leftwich | 4,132 | 2001 |
5 | Rakeem Cato | 3,916 | 2013 |
6 | Rakeem Cato | 3,903 | 2014 |
7 | Chad Pennington | 3,799 | 1999 |
8 | Michael Payton | 3,610 | 1992 |
9 | Chad Pennington | 3,480 | 1997 |
10 | Chad Pennington | 3,419 | 1998 |
|
|
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Complete yardage totals for Jackie Hunt and John Zontini are not available because such specific statistics were not always kept back then. However, the Marshall record book estimates career totals for them and includes them in the official career rushing yards list.[1]
Rushing yards
Career
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Years |
1 | Chris Parker | 5,924 | 1992 1993 1994 1995 |
2 | Doug Chapman | 4,016 | 1996 1997 1998 1999 |
3 | Ron Darby | 3,903 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
4 | Jackie Hunt | 3,900 | 1939 1940 1941 |
5 | Ahmad Bradshaw | 2,982 | 2004 2005 2006 |
6 | John Zontini | 2,900 | 1931 1932 1933 1934 |
7 | Darius Marshall | 2,857 | 2007 2008 2009 2010 |
8 | Glenn Pedro | 2,724 | 1990 1991 1992 1993 |
9 | Franklin Wallace | 2,694 | 2000 2001 2002 2003 |
10 | Devon Johnson | 2,373 | 2013 2014 2015 |
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Year |
1 | Chris Parker | 1,833 | 1995 |
2 | Devon Johnson | 1,767 | 2014 |
3 | Chris Parker | 1,750 | 1993 |
4 | Chris Parker | 1,728 | 1994 |
5 | Ahmad Bradshaw | 1,523 | 2006 |
6 | Ron Darby | 1,506 | 1987 |
7 | Erik Thomas | 1,296 | 1996 |
8 | Ron Darby | 1,282 | 1988 |
9 | Doug Chapman | 1,238 | 1996 |
10 | Doug Chapman | 1,184 | 1998 |
|
Single game
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Year |
Opponent |
1 | Devon Johnson | 272[10] | 2014 | Florida Atlantic |
2 | Ron Darby | 262 | 1988 | Western Carolina |
3 | Ahmad Bradshaw | 261 | 2006 | UTEP |
4 | Larry Fourqurean | 245 | 1981 | Appalachian State |
5 | Ahmad Bradshaw | 242 | 2006 | UAB |
6 | Steward Butler | 233 | 2014 | Western Kentucky |
7 | Jack Mahone | 224 | 1963 | Ken State |
8 | Ron Lear | 218 | 1979 | Furman |
9 | Chris Parker | 209 | 1993 | Chattanooga |
10 | Ron Lear | 208 | 1979 | Appalachian State |
|
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Years |
1 | Mike Barber | 4,262 | 1985 1986 1987 1988 |
2 | Darius Watts | 4,031 | 2000 2001 2002 2003 |
3 | Josh Davis | 3,889 | 2001 2002 2003 2004 |
4 | Tommy Shuler | 3,563 | 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
5 | Randy Moss | 3,467 | 1996 1997 |
6 | Tim Martin | 2,886 | 1993 1994 1995 1996 |
7 | Nate Poole | 2,775 | 1997 1998 1999 |
8 | Troy Brown | 2,746 | 1991 1992 |
9 | Cody Slate | 2,619 | 2006 2007 2008 2009 |
10 | Aaron Dobson | 2,398 | 2009 2010 2011 2012 |
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Year |
1 | Mike Barber | 1,757 | 1987 |
2 | Randy Moss | 1,709 | 1996 |
3 | Troy Brown | 1,654 | 1992 |
4 | Randy Moss | 1,647 | 1997 |
5 | Darius Watts | 1,417 | 2001 |
6 | Sean Doctor | 1,372 | 1987 |
7 | Mike Barber | 1,325 | 1988 |
8 | Brian Dowler | 1,197 | 1991 |
9 | Josh Davis | 1,191 | 2002 |
10 | Mike Barber | 1,180 | 1986 |
|
|
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[15]
Total offense yards
Career
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Years |
1 | Rakeem Cato | 14,918 | 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
2 | Chad Pennington | 13,048 | 1995 1997 1998 1999 |
3 | Byron Leftwich | 12,084 | 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
4 | Michael Payton | 9,704 | 1989 1990 1991 1992 |
5 | Todd Donnan | 7,057 | 1991 1992 1993 1994 |
6 | John Gregory | 6,720 | 1986 1987 1988 1989 |
7 | Bernard Morris | 6,705 | 2004 2005 2006 2007 |
8 | Carl Fodor | 6,377 | 1982 1983 1984 1985 |
9 | Tony Petersen | 6,268 | 1986 1987 |
10 | Chris Parker | 5,924 | 1992 1993 1994 1995 |
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
Yards |
Year |
1 | Tony Petersen | 4,737 | 1987 |
2 | Rakeem Cato | 4,385 | 2014 |
3 | Byron Leftwich | 4,267 | 2002 |
4 | Rakeem Cato | 4,232 | 2012 |
5 | Byron Leftwich | 4,224 | 2001 |
6 | Rakeem Cato | 4,210 | 2013 |
7 | Chad Pennington | 3,902 | 1999 |
8 | Michael Payton | 3,744 | 1992 |
9 | Bernard Morris | 3,637 | 2007 |
10 | Michael Payton | 3,491 | 1991 |
|
|
Total touchdowns
Defense
Interceptions
|
|
Single game
Rk |
Player |
Ints |
Year |
Opponent |
1 | Jackie Hunt | 3 | 1941 | Wake Forest |
| George Barlow | 3 | 1989 | East Tennessee State |
| Joe Chirico | 3 | 1990 | Appalachian State |
|
Tackles
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
Tackles |
Year |
1 | John Spellacy | 189 | 1987 |
2 | William King | 178 | 1993 |
3 | Duran Smith | 160 | 2002 |
4 | Max Yates | 159 | 2001 |
5 | Bill Yanossy | 157 | 1974 |
|
Single game
Rk |
Player |
Tackles |
Year |
Opponent |
1 | Charles Henry | 30 | 1972 | Miami (Ohio) |
|
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Career
Rk |
Player |
FGs |
Years |
1 | Dewey Klein | 54 | 1988 1989 1990 1991 |
|
Single season
Rk |
Player |
FGs |
Year |
1 | Dewey Klein | 19 | 1988 |
| David Merrick | 19 | 1993 |
| Tim Openlander | 19 | 1995 |
4 | Nick Smith | 18 | 2015 |
5 | Justin Haig | 17 | 2014 |
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References
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National championship seasons in bold |