The Minnesota Golden Gophers football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Minnesota Golden Gophers 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 Golden Gophers represent the University of Minnesota in the NCAA 's Big Ten Conference .
Although Minnesota began competing in intercollegiate football in 1882,[ 1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1945. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are sometimes not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since 1945, 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 Gophers have played in 12 bowl games since then, giving recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
These lists are updated through Week 1 of the 2021 season .
Passing
Passing yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Adam Weber
10,917
2007 2008 2009 2010
2
Tanner Morgan
9,454[ 3]
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
3
Bryan Cupito
7,446
2003 2004 2005 2006
4
Mitch Leidner
7,287[ 4]
2013 2014 2015 2016
5
Cory Sauter
6,834
1994 1995 1996 1997
6
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
6,660
2000 2001 2002 2003
7
Marquel Fleetwood
5,279
1989 1990 1991 1992
8
Rickey Foggie
4,903
1984 1985 1986 1987
9
Mike Hohensee
4,792
1981 1982
10
Tim Schade
3,986
1993 1994
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Tanner Morgan
3,253[ 3]
2019
2
Adam Weber
2,895
2007
3
Bryan Cupito
2,819
2006
4
Adam Weber
2,761
2008
5
Mitch Leidner
2,701[ 4]
2015
6
Adam Weber
2,679
2010
7
Max Brosmer
2,617
2024
8
Cory Sauter
2,600
1995
9
Adam Weber
2,582
2009
10
Cory Sauter
2,578
1996
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Mohamed Ibrahim
4,668
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
2
Darrell Thompson
4,518
1986 1987 1988 1989
3
Rodney Smith
4,125
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
4
Laurence Maroney
3,933
2003 2004 2005
5
Thomas Hamner
3,810
1996 1997 1998 1999
6
Marion Barber III
3,276
2001 2002 2003 2004
7
Chris Darkins
3,235
1992 1993 1994 1995
8
Marion Barber, Jr.
3,087
1977 1978 1979 1980
9
David Cobb
2,896
2011 2012 2013 2014
10
Amir Pinnix
2,439
2004 2005 2006 2007
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Mohamed Ibrahim
1,665
2022
2
David Cobb
1,629
2014
3
Laurence Maroney
1,464
2005
4
Chris Darkins
1,443
1994
5
Thomas Hamner
1,426
1999
6
Laurence Maroney
1,348
2004
7
Terry Jackson II
1,317
2002
8
Amir Pinnix
1,272
2006
9
Marion Barber III
1,269
2004
10
Darrell Thompson
1,240
1986
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Single game
Rank
Player
Rec
Year
Opponent
1
Aaron Osterman
13
1994
Michigan
Eric Decker
13[ 17]
2008
Indiana
3
Glenn Bourquin
12
1979
Michigan
Chester Cooper
12
1981
Ohio State
Alan Reid
12
1982
Indiana
Tutu Atwell
12
1996
Purdue
Luke Leverson
12
1998
Ohio State
Eric Decker
12[ 18]
2007
Florida Atlantic
Tyler Johnson
12
2019
Auburn
Receiving yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Tyler Johnson
3,305
2016 2017 2018 2019
2
Eric Decker
3,119
2006 2007 2008 2009
3
Ron Johnson
2,989[ 14]
1998 1999 2000 2001
4
Daniel Jackson
2,685
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
5
Tutu Atwell
2,640
1994 1995 1996 1997
6
Ernie Wheelwright
2,434
2004 2005 2006 2007
7
Rashod Bateman
2,395
2018 2019 2020
8
Ryan Thelwell
2,232
1994 1995 1996
9
Chris Autman-Bell
2,058[ 19]
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
10
Jared Ellerson
2,054
2002 2003 2004 2005
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 24]
Total offense yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Adam Weber
11,790
2007 2008 2009 2010
2
Tanner Morgan
9,459 [ 3]
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
3
Mitch Leidner
8,782 [ 4]
2013 2014 2015 2016
4
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
7,818
2000 2001 2002 2003
5
Bryan Cupito
7,449
2003 2004 2005 2006
6
Rickey Foggie
7,312
1984 1985 1986 1987
7
Cory Sauter
6,608
1994 1995 1996 1997
8
Marquel Fleetwood
6,154
1989 1990 1991 1992
9
Mike Hohensee
4,855
1981 1982
10
Billy Cockerham
4,763
1996 1997 1998 1999
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Adam Weber
3,512
2007
2
Tanner Morgan
3,196 [ 3]
2019
3
Adam Weber
2,994
2008
4
Mitch Leidner
2,971 [ 4]
2015
5
Billy Cockerham
2,922
1999
6
Adam Weber
2,835
2010
7
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
2,771
2003
8
Bryan Cupito
2,750
2006
9
Bryan Cupito
2,560
2005
10
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
2,512
2002
Total touchdowns
Defense
Interceptions
Tackles
Single game
Rank
Player
Tackles
Year
Opponent
1
Bill Light
32
1970
Iowa
2
Bill Light
29
1969
Indiana
3
Pete Najarian
26
1983
Nebraska
Pete Najarian
26
1984
Purdue
5
Ron King
25
1969
Michigan
6
Wayne King
24
1968
Iowa
7
Tim Wheeler
23
1966
Kansas
Ollie Bakken
23
1973
Ohio State
George Washington
23
1975
Illinois
Pete Najarian
23
1985
Oklahoma
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Single game
Rank
Player
FGs
Year
Opponent
1
Adam Bailey
5
1987
Penn State
Dan Nystrom
5
2002
Arkansas [ 37]
Field goal percentage
References
^ a b "2015 Minnesota Golden Gophers Media Guide" (PDF) . GopherSports.com . Retrieved November 7, 2015 .
^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 .
^ a b c d e f g h "Tanner Morgan" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d e f g h "Mitch Leidner" . ESPN.com . Retrieved January 2, 2016 .
^ a b c "Weber's 5 TDs propel Minnesota despite penalties, Decker's absence" . ESPN.com . October 31, 2009. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
^ a b "Buckeyes win ninth straight road game vs. Gophers" . ESPN.com . October 29, 2005.[dead link ]
^ a b "Kaeding ties school mark with 4 FGs" . ESPN.com . Archived from the original on December 19, 2013.
^ "Northwestern 49, Minnesota 48, OT" . ESPN.com . October 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.
^ MicronPC.com Bowl
^ "Rodney Smith" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 30, 2016 .
^ "Minnesota 42, Ohio 20" . ESPN.com . September 13, 2003. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013.
^ "Mitch Leidner boosts Minnesota to win over SJSU" . ESPN.com . September 21, 2013.
^ "Daniel Jackson" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d e f "Minnesota/North Carolina St box score from ESPN" .
^ "KJ Maye" . ESPN.com . Retrieved January 2, 2016 .
^ "Drew Wolitarsky" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 30, 2016 .
^ a b "Decker ties receiving record as Minnesota stops IU" . ESPN.com . October 4, 2008.[dead link ]
^ "Florida Atlantic 42, Minnesota 39" . ESPN.com . September 15, 2007.[dead link ]
^ "Chris Autman-Bell" . ESPN.com .
^ "Penn State vs. Minnesota Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2019 .
^ "Two long TD passes get Gophers going" . ESPN.com . October 4, 2003. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013.
^ "Paulus loses Syracuse debut after tossing interception in OT" . ESPN.com . September 5, 2009. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
^ "Payne hauls in 4 TDs; Temple loses 62–0 for second straight week" . ESPN.com . September 16, 2006.[dead link ]
^ "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 .
^ "Gilreath, Brown give Wisconsin boost over Minnesota" . ESPN.com . November 17, 2009. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
^ "Northwestern upsets Minnesota with late pick for touchdown" . ESPN.com . November 1, 2008. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013.
^ "Spartans' Cobb returns kickoff 100 yards" . ESPN.com . October 18, 2003. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013.
^ a b "Tyler Nubin" . ESPN.com .
^ "Minnesota Golden Gophers 'All-Century' team: Best lineup since 2000 - Big Ten Blog- ESPN" . July 19, 2016.
^ "Boy Mafe" . ESPN.com .
^ a b "Jah Joyner" . ESPN.com .
^ "Cupito sets Minnesota mark as Spartans' sad season continues" . ESPN.com . November 11, 2006. Archived from the original on August 25, 2014.
^ a b c d "Matthew Trickett" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d "Ryan Santoso" . ESPN.com . Retrieved January 2, 2016 .
^ a b c "Dragan Kesich" . ESPN.com .
^ a b "Emmit Carpenter" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 30, 2016 .
^ Music City Bowl
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