Stepfan Taylor is the Cardinal's career leader in rushing yards. 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,[ 1] 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,[ a] 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 .
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 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 season Rank Player Yards Year 1 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
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Stepfan Taylor 4,300 2009 2010 2011 2012 2 Darrin Nelson 4,169 1977 1978 1980 1981 3 Christian McCaffrey 3,922[ 12] 2014 2015 2016 4 Bryce Love 3,865[ 13] 2015 2016 2017 2018 5 Toby Gerhart 3,522 2006 2007 2008 2009 6 Brad Muster 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 season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Bryce Love 2,118[ 13] 2017 2 Christian McCaffrey 2,019[ 12] 2015 3 Toby Gerhart 1,871 2009 4 Tyler Gaffney 1,709 2013 5 Christian McCaffrey 1,603[ 12] 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
Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 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 season Rank Player Yards Year 1 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[ 28] 2023 9 DeRonnie Pitts 1,012 1998 10 James Lofton 1,010 1977
Receiving touchdowns [ edit ] Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 31]
Total offense yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Kevin Hogan 10,634 [ 4] 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 season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Andrew Luck 3,791 2010 2 Andrew Luck 3,667 2011 3 Steve Stenstrom 3,398 1993 4 Kevin Hogan 3,203 [ 4] 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
All-purpose yardage [ edit ] 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.[ 31]
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.
Career Rk Player Yards Years 1 Darrin Nelson 7,120 1977 1978 1980 1981 2 Christian McCaffrey 6,987 2014 2015 2016 3 Glyn Milburn 6,146 1990 1991 1992 4 Troy Walters 5,515 1996 1997 1998 1999 5 Ty Montgomery 5,190 2011 2012 2013 2014 6 Stepfan Taylor 5,095 2009 2010 2011 2012 7 Brad Muster 5,095 1984 1985 1986 1987 8 Vincent White 4,662 1979 1980 1981 1982 9 Anthony Bookman 4,072 1994 1995 1996 1997 10 Toby Gerhart 3,917 2006 2007 2008 2009
Single season Rk Player Yards Year 1 Christian McCaffrey 3,864 2015 2 Christian McCaffrey 2,327 2016 3 Glyn Milburn 2,234 1992 4 Glyn Milburn 2,222 1990 5 Ty Montgomery 2,208 2013 6 Bryce Love 2,151 2017 7 Toby Gerhart 2,028 2009 8 Darrin Nelson 1,998 1981 9 Troy Walters 1,929 1999 10 Chris Owusu 1,915 2009
Single game Rank Player Sacks Year Opponent 1 Riall Johnson 5.0 1999 Washington State
Field goal percentage [ edit ] ^ Technically, the Pac-12 did not exist until 1959. However, that conference considers its history to have started with the formation of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), which operated from 1915 to 1959. Stanford joined the PCC in 1919 and remained a member until the conference's dissolution, and was one of the five PCC schools that immediately formed the conference that eventually became the Pac-12. ^ a b "2014 Stanford Cardinal Football History" . GoStanford.com . Retrieved February 10, 2015 . ^ a b c d "2018 Stanford Football Record Book" (PDF) . Stanford Cardinal. Retrieved September 1, 2018 . ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 . ^ a b c d e f g "Kevin Hogan" . ESPN.com . Retrieved January 2, 2016 . ^ "Tanner McKee" . ESPN.com . ^ a b "Stanford vs. Washington State Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 16, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019 . ^ a b c d "Stanford vs. UCLA Box Score" . ESPN.com . December 19, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020 . ^ a b "Arizona erases 15-point deficit to clip Stanford" . ESPN.com . October 17, 2009. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. ^ a b "Stanford wins Pac-12 North behind Ty Montgomery's 5 TDs" . ESPN.com . November 23, 2013. ^ "Box Score: Stanford vs. UCLA" . ESPN.com . November 24, 2018. ^ a b c d e "Box Score: Stanford vs. Colorado" . ESPN.com . October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023 . ^ a b c d "Christian McCaffrey" . ESPN.com . Retrieved February 2, 2017 . ^ a b c d "Bryce Love: Stats" . ESPN.com . Retrieved September 23, 2018 . ^ "Love's 301 yards helps Stanford beat Arizona State 34-24" . ESPN.com . Associated Press . September 30, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017 . ^ "No. 24 Stanford wins 7th straight Big Game, beats Cal 45-31" . ESPN.com . November 19, 2016. ^ "Bryce Love runs for 263 yards to lead Stanford past UCLA" . ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 24, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017 . ^ a b "Christian McCaffrey's huge night, Francis Owusu's catch fuel Stanford" . ESPN.com . October 15, 2015. ^ "Stanford rides Gerhart's legs past No. 8 Oregon" . ESPN.com . November 7, 2009. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. ^ "Christian McCaffrey breaks yardage record as No. 7 Stanford takes Pac-12" . ESPN.com . December 5, 2015. ^ Pac-12 Football Championship Game ^ "Hogan starts, No. 21 Stanford defeats Oregon State 42-24" . ESPN.com . September 25, 2015. ^ "Cameron Scarlett" . ESPN.com . ^ "Gerhart, Stanford manhandle Washington State" . ESPN.com . November 1, 2008. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. ^ "Big Game lives up to hype as Vereen has 3 TDs; late INT sinks Stanford" . ESPN.com . November 21, 2009. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Andrew Luck puts on a clinic as No. 13 Stanford handles No. 15 Arizona" . ESPN.com . November 6, 2010. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Stanford routs rival Cal 38-17 in 117th Big Game" . ESPN.com . November 22, 2014. ^ "Stanford vs. Louisville Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 16, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024 . ^ "Elic Ayomanor" . ESPN.com . ^ "Box Score: San Diego State vs. Stanford" . ESPN.com . August 31, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018 . ^ a b c "JJ Arcega-Whiteside" . ESPN.com . Retrieved September 23, 2018 . ^ a b "2018 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 1, 2018 . ^ "Washington vs. Stanford Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023 . ^ a b c d "Jet Toner" . ESPN.com . Retrieved September 23, 2018 . ^ a b c d e f "Joshua Karty" . ESPN.com . ^ a b c d e f "Conrad Ukropina" . ESPN.com . Retrieved February 2, 2017 . ^ "Nate Whitaker's five FGs give Stanford winning edge over Irish" . ESPN.com . September 25, 2010. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. ^ "Arizona State vs. Stanford Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 22, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022 .
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