The Illinois Fighting Illini football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Illinois Fighting Illini 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 Fighting Illini represent the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the NCAA's Big Ten Conference.
Although Illinois began competing in intercollegiate football in 1890,[1] the school's official record book generally does not include statistics from before the 1950s, as records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent. An exception to this is Red Grange, who appears several times on these lists despite playing in the 1920s.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since the 1950s, 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.[2] The Fighting Illini have played in 4 bowl games since then, all since 2008, giving recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2016 season.
Passing
Passing yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Jack Trudeau |
8,725 |
1981 1983 1984 1985
|
2 |
Kurt Kittner |
8,722 |
1998 1999 2000 2001
|
3 |
Nathan Scheelhaase |
8,568 |
2010 2011 2012 2013
|
4 |
Juice Williams |
8,037 |
2006 2007 2008 2009
|
5 |
Jason Verduzco |
7,532 |
1989 1990 1991 1992
|
6 |
Tony Eason |
7,031 |
1981 1982
|
7 |
Wes Lunt |
5,900[3] |
2014 2015 2016
|
8 |
Johnny Johnson |
5,293 |
1992 1993 1994 1995
|
9 |
Jon Beutjer |
5,190 |
2002 2003 2004
|
10 |
Jeff George |
5,189 |
1988 1989
|
|
Single season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Tony Eason |
3,671 |
1982
|
2 |
Tony Eason |
3,360 |
1981
|
3 |
Jack Trudeau |
3,339 |
1985
|
4 |
Nathan Scheelhaase |
3,272 |
2013
|
5 |
Kurt Kittner |
3,256 |
2001
|
6 |
Juice Williams |
3,173 |
2008
|
7 |
Dave Wilson |
3,154 |
1980
|
8 |
Jason Verduzco |
3,014 |
1991
|
9 |
Wes Lunt |
2,761 |
2015
|
10 |
Jeff George |
2,738 |
1989
|
|
|
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Robert Holcombe |
4,105 |
1994 1995 1996 1997
|
2 |
Chase Brown |
3,206[11] |
2019 2020 2021 2022
|
3 |
Antoineo Harris |
2,985 |
1999 2000 2001 2002
|
4 |
Thomas Rooks |
2,887 |
1982 1983 1984 1985
|
5 |
Jim Grabowski |
2,878 |
1963 1964 1965
|
6 |
Rocky Harvey |
2,711 |
1998 1999 2000 2001
|
7 |
Josh Ferguson |
2,586 |
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
|
8 |
Juice Williams |
2,557 |
2006 2007 2008 2009
|
|
Mikel Leshoure |
2,557 |
2008 2009 2010
|
10 |
Pierre Thomas |
2,545 |
2003 2004 2005 2006
|
|
Single season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Mikel Leshoure |
1,697 |
2010
|
2 |
Rashard Mendenhall |
1,681 |
2007
|
3 |
Chase Brown |
1,643[11] |
2022
|
4 |
Antoineo Harris |
1,330 |
2002
|
5 |
Robert Holcombe |
1,281 |
1996
|
6 |
Jim Grabowski |
1,258 |
1965
|
7 |
J.C. Caroline |
1,256 |
1953
|
8 |
Robert Holcombe |
1,253 |
1997
|
9 |
Keith Jones |
1,196 |
1988
|
10 |
Howard Griffith |
1,115 |
1990
|
|
|
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
David Williams |
3,392 |
1983 1984 1985
|
2 |
Brandon Lloyd |
2,583 |
1999 2000 2001 2002
|
3 |
A. J. Jenkins |
2,432 |
2008 2009 2010 2011
|
4 |
Walter Young |
2,382 |
1999 2000 2001 2002
|
5 |
Isaiah Williams |
2,304[18] |
2019 2021 2022 2023
|
6 |
Mike Martin |
2,300 |
1979 1980 1981 1982
|
7 |
John Wright |
2,284 |
1965 1966 1967
|
8 |
Arrelious Benn |
2,221 |
2007 2008 2009
|
9 |
Pat Bryant |
2,095 |
2021 2022 2023 2024
|
10 |
Jason Dulick |
2,004 |
1993 1994 1995 1996
|
|
|
|
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[27]
Total offense yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Nathan Scheelhaase |
10,634 |
2010 2011 2012 2013
|
2 |
Juice Williams |
10,594 |
2006 2007 2008 2009
|
3 |
Kurt Kittner |
8,880 |
1998 1999 2000 2001
|
4 |
Jack Trudeau |
8,640 |
1981 1983 1984 1985
|
5 |
Jason Verduzco |
7,256 |
1989 1990 1991 1992
|
6 |
Tony Eason |
7,002 |
1981 1982
|
7 |
Wes Lunt |
5,602[3] |
2014 2015 2016
|
8 |
Johnny Johnson |
5,358 |
1992 1993 1994 1995
|
9 |
Jon Beutjer |
5,158 |
2002 2003 2004
|
10 |
Luke Altmyer |
5,099[8] |
2023 2024
|
|
Single season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Juice Williams |
3,892 |
2008
|
2 |
Tony Eason |
3,671 |
1982
|
3 |
Nathan Scheelhaase |
3,543 |
2013
|
4 |
Tony Eason |
3,331 |
1981
|
5 |
Jack Trudeau |
3,321 |
1985
|
6 |
Kurt Kittner |
3,242 |
2001
|
7 |
Jason Verduzco |
2,983 |
1991
|
8 |
Dave Wilson |
2,960 |
1980
|
9 |
Luke Altmyer |
2,934[8] |
2024
|
10 |
Jack Trudeau |
2,797 |
1984
|
|
|
Total touchdowns
Defense
Interceptions
|
|
Single game
Rank
|
Player
|
Ints
|
Year
|
Opponent
|
1 |
Mike Gow |
4 |
1974 |
Stanford
|
2 |
Mike Gow |
3 |
1973 |
Minnesota
|
|
Phil Knell |
3 |
1966 |
Purdue
|
|
Duane Lyle |
3 |
1995 |
East Carolina
|
|
Eugene Wilson |
3 |
2001 |
Penn State
|
|
Tackles
Sacks
|
|
Single game
Rank
|
Player
|
Sacks
|
Year
|
Opponent
|
1 |
Simeon Rice |
5.0 |
1994 |
Washington State
|
2 |
Mike Poloskey |
4.0 |
1991 |
East Carolina
|
|
Will Davis |
4.0 |
2007 |
Indiana
|
|
Clay Nurse |
4.0 |
2009 |
Minnesota
|
5 |
Jeff Weisse |
3.5 |
1998 |
Middle Tennessee
|
|
Oluwole Betiku Jr. |
3.5 |
2019 |
UConn
|
|
Kicking
Field goals made
|
|
Single game
Rank
|
Player
|
FGs
|
Year
|
Opponent
|
1 |
Dan Beaver |
5 |
1973 |
Purdue
|
|
Mike Bass |
5 |
1982 |
Wisconsin
|
|
Chris White |
5 |
1984 |
Wisconsin
|
|
Doug Higgins |
5 |
1990 |
Michigan State
|
|
Field goal percentage
References
- ^ a b "2015 Illinois Fighting Illini Media Guide". FightingIllini.com. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
- ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "West Lunt". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Defense key as Minnesota takes down Illinois". ESPN.com. October 11, 2008. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Illini come back to knock off W. Kentucky, 42-34". ESPN.com. September 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Missouri 52, Illinois 42". ESPN.com. August 30, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Indiana defeats Illinois 52-35". ESPN.com. November 9, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Luke Altmyer". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Reilly O'Toole throws for 5 TDs as Illinois blanks Charleston Southern". ESPN.com. September 15, 2012.
- ^ "Illinois blows by Miami (OH), 50-14". ESPN.com. September 28, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Chase Brown".
- ^ "Mikel Leshoure runs rampant as Illinois stomps Northwestern at Wrigley". ESPN.com. November 20, 2010. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013.
- ^ "Charlotte vs. Illinois Box Score". ESPN.com. October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- ^ "Illinois vs. Penn State Box Score". ESPN.com. October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "Illini trample Hoosiers to end losing streak in Big Ten openers". ESPN.com. September 15, 2007.
- ^ "Josh McCray". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b Associated Press (September 23, 1990). "Griffith Gets 8 Touchdowns in Illini Win". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b c d e f "Isaiah Williams". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Northwestern closes with 37-34 win over Illinois". ESPN.com. November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Illinois vs. Minnesota Box Score". ESPN.com. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Illinois completes comeback in final minute to defeat rival Northwestern". ESPN.com. October 1, 2011. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "Northwestern vs. Illinois Box Score". ESPN.com. November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "Purdue runs past Illinois 38-27". ESPN.com. October 4, 2014.
- ^ "Illinois vs. Rutgers Box Score". ESPN.com. November 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Josh Imatorbhebhe". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Pat Bryant". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Record Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
- ^ "Illinois vs. Purdue Box Score". ESPN.com. October 12, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
- ^ "Tommy DeVito". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b "Sydney Brown". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Jer'Zhan Newton". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Gabe Jacas". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Owen Carney Jr". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Oluwole Betiku Jr". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b c d "James McCourt". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b c "David Olano". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Caleb Griffin". ESPN.com.
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National championship seasons in bold |