College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Both of Ismails kickoffs returned for touchdowns were in the second half, the first coming on the second-half kickoff. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. CLICK HERE. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Hall started running backwards and crossed to the other side of the field, outrunning the entire Broncos unit before heading into the endzone untouched. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. (Looking at you, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, and Ohio State wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.). Join our linker program. Why its untouchable: Could it be more obvious? "I dont totally know the answer to it, only because he is just kind of coming back," Fipp said when asked if he's open to using Williams as a kick returner in 2023. The former Seattle Seahawks running back was ready to go on the opening kickoff of this game against the San Diego Chargers. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Well, in this case, its probably a good idea that Jones didnt listen to that advice. On one September day in 2003, Perkins tortured the Bruins for 277 yards on seven punt returns, scoring touchdowns from65, 74 and 84 yards out. One of the college football's best receivers in 2021, Williams. In 1997 he totaled a Super Bowl-record 90 punt return yards and 154 kickoff return yards with one . Raghib Rocket Ismail from Notre Dame returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in a 1988 game against Rice. He made everybody miss twice against Michigan. That same power, speed and aggressive running style that has made him a superstar every-down back in the NFL made him a lethal returner for UCLA. Could Top QB Fall To The Titans? Interpreted as: most kickoff return touchdowns by a playerin one regular-seasongame this season Ismail said his job was to find a crease, run through it, and make somebody miss. Why its untouchable: Youve got to feel for Reaves, the Gators errant passer who tossed nine completions to the opposing defense at Auburn in 1969. Raymond Clayborn (3/1977), 3. Record: 1,383 passing yardsRecord-holder: Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech (819 yards) and Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (564 yards)Season: 2016. It'd be like turning a demolition crew on the Apollo Theater. But even if he'd been stopped for 10- and 12-yard gains every time, surely he'd find some way to remain memorable. Jacoby Jones has had a few standout returns in his career, and this one against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII might be his most impressive. Leaders Since 1976 Share & Export Modify, Export & Share Table Get as Excel Workbook Rocket Ismails record of most games with two kickoff returns for touchdowns set in 1989 still stands today. After a punt from the New Orleans Saints landed into the endzone, it appeared that the ball was going to bounce out of bounds, causing a touchback to the 20-yard linebut it didnt. Al Diaz/Miami Herald/TNS. Washington took the kick from one yard inside the endzone and proceeded to juke his way past the front line of the Chargers special teams unit. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. After a final lateralmaking for eight laterals in totalall the way across to the opposite side field, the Hurricanes took the ball up the sideline and found wide open space, scoring the game-winning touchdown. There have been 43 kickoffs returned for a touchdown since Patterson was drafted in 2013. About Saturday Down South | Ethics and Editorial Standards | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Other Conferences: Big Ten | ACC | Pac-12. He still showed game-breaking ability at times last season but had two punt return touchdowns wiped out due to penalties while averaging 8.8 yards on 13 attempts with a long of 19. It's impossible for someone to break Nevada punter Pat Brady's 99-yard punt without having a touchback, and similarly, no player will ever top the record of a 100-yard return of an extra-point attempt, which is held by eight different players. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. We support responsible gambling. Their role on special teams is more influenced by offense and defense than it is on what he can do on teams.". Heisman Trophy Winners: D. Henry, B. Sanders, . Who holds it: John Reaves, Florida, 1969 Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is open to the idea of incorporating Williams into a return role, and Williams himself has expressed . The Lions used backup receiver Kalif Raymond as their primary punt returner and No. UTEP has been on the wrong end of several FBS records former Houston quarterback Case Keenum holds the record for the most career passing yards gained against one opponent (1,882 yards against UTEP) and former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson has the record for career rushing yards against one opponent (788 yards against UTEP) but the Miners are also in the FBS record book for positive reasons, too. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. NFL Career Leaders - Kickoff Return Touchdowns. ', "There's just a difference in there, and that difference makes an exponential difference on the field of play with the whole group.". Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In 2019, Wright finished with 10 returns for 380 yards, 38 yards per return and two touchdowns. ruled that the play should have been blown dead. Ismail dashed for 88 yards on that kickoff. When we went through and ranked these classes, there was a lot of debate as to who and which classes should be in what positions. Looking for a great NFL history book? A kickoff return for a touchdown is one of the most exciting plays in football. I got kick return, too, I would have housed that one.' Burleson's effort against San Jose State ranks tied for eighth all-time in single-game receiving yards and yet, he never made it to the end zone. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. For those that don't know, a kick return touchdown is when the kickoff retu. Just look at Moore's freshman (36.2 receiving yards per game) and sophomore (70.8 yards per game) seasons to see that it took Moore time (and potentially a coaching change to offensive mind Lane Kiffin) for him to develop into a receiver who could average that many yards per game. Simpson, Charles White and Anthony Davis wouldn't have imagined. Why its untouchable: The Cougars waxed SMU, 95-21, in a biblical beating that featured an all-out aerial assault from Ware, who threw for 517 yards and later won the Heisman. The longtime NFL cornerback made everyone look like a fool on this play while he was playing with the Los Angeles Rams. On Wednesday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes praised Williams' "rare talent, rare ability (and) serious passion for the game," and said the team was "expecting big things" from last year's No. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Game Before the Money Radio Showshared outstanding college football records. Javier owns the SEC career record with seven punt-return touchdowns, averaging 14.0 yards per punt return and 24.1 yards per kickoff return. It was reported that Georgia Tech coach John Heisman didnt let up after Cumberland Gap had beaten the Yellow Jackets in baseball, 22-0, earlier that year. Kickoff Return Touchdowns Single Season Leaders and Records An asterisk (*) after a player's name indicates bowl stats are included. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Like, he wants to do everything. If you don't, then you punt the ball. 44 touchdowns are tied with Kmic for the most ever and ahead of anyone else in NCAA history. Most rushing touchdowns, game [ edit] FBS: 8 - Howard Griffith, Illinois, 1990; Kalen Ballage, Arizona State, 2016; Jaret Patterson, Buffalo, 2020 FCS: 7 - Archie Amerson, Northern Arizona, 1996 Div II: 8 - Junior Wolf, Oklahoma Panhandle State, 1958 Div III: 8 - Donavan Henderson, Manchester, 2019; Carey Bender, Coe, 1994 4-ranked Auburn Tigers (10-1, 6-1 in the SEC). Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "It's hard to ask a guy to do all those things at a really high level, and people dont realize that," Fipp said. Both records have since been broken. 3 running back Justin Jackson as their top kick returner last season. (Jones-Drew's 91-yard kickoff return TD in that same game was understandably overshadowed.). 1 on that list? Watching Spiller make defenders look like clowns while flying down the field in Clemson's orange unis, it was easy to recall images of Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State. Statistics are current through the 2022 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games. In 1988, "Prime Time" led the nation in punt-return average and left FSU as the school's all-time leader in punt return yards. Ten players have done that in NFL history. For those that don't know, a kick return touchdown is when the kickoff retu. The Hurricanes star did some impressive work in the NFL, but his best return ever might be from his days at The U. Hesters return against Duke was like a work of artif there were a museum honoring returns in football, this one might be considered the Mona Lisa of punt returns. It shouldn't include Jalen Ramsey. Some records are meant to be broken. Another score against Missouri later that year gave Perkins the FBS single-season record for punt return TDs. These opinions are mine and mine alone. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. Who holds it: Case Keenum, Houston, 2007-11 1 pick in the NFL draft (Mayfield), the former of whom is arguably a generational talent at the position and the latter of whom was named the best player in the country one year later. Whether it be a kickoff return or a punt return, football players put their amazing athletic ability on display as they weave in and out of tacklers, rushing down the field after receiving a kick. So why is "Rocket" holding down the No. Who holds it: Connor Halliday, Washington State, 2014 Offenses rarely get six possessions in a quarter, much less time to throw it to the end zone six different times. A kickoff return for a touchdown is one of the most exciting plays in football. Hester took the opening kickoff from his own 10-yard line and darted through the first wave of would-be tacklers with a fantastic juke step, and he was offHester made it 90 yards before anyone on the Colts touched him, but by then he was already in the endzone. Notre Dame beat Michigan 24-19 on that day in a battle of the nations top two ranked teams. In an interview with an Atlanta radio station. This Big 12 shootout, which ended in a 66-59 win for Oklahoma, featured a future NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion(Mahomes) and a future Heisman Trophy winner and No. Gordons incredible 408-yard performance through three quarters, no less against Nebraska was short-lived. Even as the length of the college football season has increased to 15 games for the teams that advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship, in order for Sanders' record to be broken, it would still require a player who plays for a national finalist to rush for at least 300 yards in one out of every three games in a single season. Beforehis breakout Heisman season (1988), Barry played backup to Thurman Thomas and made his mark on special teams. We do not target any individuals under the age of 21. The return went for 109 yards, setting a record for the longest play in NFL history. Raghib "Rocket" Ismail Holds Record for Most Games With Two Kickoff Returns for Touchdowns While his special teams coach may have been upset, Cobb rewarded him with a dazzling play, using his 4.46-second 40-yard dash time to blaze by the New Orleans Saints defense. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. With the game still tied between these two top-10 teams, Cam Newton did what he did best in 2010, take over a game with a game changing play. NFL Kick Returns for Touchdown Single-Season Leaders | Pro-Football-Reference.com 1. Ismail could dance away from contact when he had to, and he had the strength to break tackles, but his style was more like Eric Dickerson. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. That same season, his best game came in week 15 against Jacksonville, where he had an 83-yard interception return for a score, a 70-yard kick return, and broke up a touchdown pass to save the game. As good as Jones-Drew was, UCLA has never seen a return man as dangerous as Antonio Perkins. Missouri. Ten players have done that in NFL history. Watch Newton go 49 yards against the LSU defense. ROAD WARRIORS: College football's longest active road winning streaks, Record: 3,690 rushing yardsRecord-holder: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State and Byron Sanders, NorthwesternSeason: 1988. Not only is it remarkable that Burleson didn't reach the end zone that day, but in his previous game, he didn't catch a single pass, and in the game after he set this record, he had a pedestrian four catches for 23 yards. He is a graduate of Indiana University. So well just see how it goes.". The Cougars simply refused to run the football. Twelve players, including 2014 Biletnikoff winner Amari Cooper from Alabama, have surpassed the lofty 1,700-mark in a single season since 2008, but that often means NFL dollars will soon come calling once the three-year removed from high school rule has passed. As a junior in 2005, Jones-Drew set the FBS single-season markby averaging 28.5 yards per punt return. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Ginn visited the end zone four more times on kick returns over the next three seasonsincluding taking the opening kickoff back 92 yards in the 2007 BCS National Championship Gameand finished his career as the Big Ten's all-time leader in punt-return touchdowns. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Detroit Lions are reportedly considering using wide receiver Jameson Williams as a returner for the 2023 NFL season. Do you have a blog? Interview quotes are usually edited for length and clarity. But to do so in just five games is potentially unsustainable, and that's why Sanders' record, amid a season in which he rushed for 2,628 yards in just 11 games (! Who holds it: Derrick Thomas, Alabama, 1988 If any quarterback is going to approach this record in the future, hell be another Mike Leach understudy. KEY: Gms = Games Played, Num = Kickoff Returns, Yds = Kickoff Return Yards, Avg = Kickoff Return Average, Lg = Longest Kickoff Return, TD = Kickoff Return Touchdowns, Yds/G = Kickoff Return Yards Per Game. SEC Women's Basketball Tournament action suspended due to weather delay, Alabama basketball adds commitment from 4-star forward, 2 SEC players named to late-season watch list for Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy, Bruce Pearl tosses headset during radio interview after Auburn-Alabama game, Overrated? Hester blew through an open lane to go basically untouched into the endzonehigh-stepping his way in all the way from the 20-yard line. It is the most violent, video-friendly, terrifying, electrifying, dangerous and dramatic play in football. Find out more. By any measure, it was a near-perfect performance and the one incompletion was a dropped pass. It was a challenging discussion, but in the end, the Titans 2005 class grabbed this position despite some of the antics of their first-round pick, Adam "Pacman" Jones. Talk about making an impact in your NFL debut. It would take a dynamic talent like Randy Moss, who was interested in playing four seasons, to come close. And his most memorable returna 91-yard dash with one minute left in the 1991 Orange Bowl that (would have) dashed Colorado's national championshipdidn't even count due to a clipping penalty. There have been some amazing kick and punt returns in football over the years, here are the best of the best. Brown probably wouldn't have become the first receiver to win the Heisman (1987) without his contributions on special teams. Only twice since the turn of the century has a team surpassed 30 or more straight wins USC and Miami. The Yellow Jackets posted two 63-point quarters in the first half during a beating that will never be forgotten. 2,850 rushing yards is more than anyone's ever gained at any level of college or pro football. Why its untouchable: College footballs Heisman winner in 1999, Dayne topped 2,000 yards for the second time in his Big Ten career to finish with an incredible NCAA-record 7,125 yards on the ground on a record-breaking 1,220 carries. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The best kick-returners have a knack for making big plays in big games. Travis Etienne. He took a kickoff in his own end zone with 4:31 . Hall was fasthe once recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.29 secondsand his slender frame at 58, 187 pounds made it easy for him to slip around tacklers. Thomas is a member of both the College Football and NFL Hall of Fame. Here are 10 current college football records one man at SDS has deemed unbreakable: Who holds it: Oklahoma, from 1953-57 Most games scoring a touchdown, career. Officially, Arizona States Terrell Suggs holds the NCAAs single-season record with 24 sacks in 2002. Who holds it: Trevor Insley, 1996-99 Like sports history? I want to be the punt returner, too. 1 Georgia Tech trampled Cumberland Gap (Tenn.) 222-0 in 1916 That's why Dominique Davis' record for consecutive completions in a season is unbreakable, even as passing efficiency in college football has improved over the course of the last decade. As a receiver, Williams caught one pass for a 41-yard touchdown last season, had three drops on nine targets and had one carry for 40 yards. No one will forget the Heisman pose after the 93-yard punt return TD against Ohio State, but they also shouldn't forget the body of work that led to Howard's defining moment. Division III Mount Union's Nate Kmic had 2,790 in 15 games in 2008, compared to Sanders' 12. You can't knock Schiano for wanting to make the game safer. The University of Miami alum was in his first season of the NFL, and he made the Rams pay for kicking him the ball. And before Hester made his name in the biggest game by returning the opening kickoff for a TD in Super Bowl XLI, he showed similarly great timing in college. Brandon Jones, who physically looked the part, and Damien Nash were the only two real misses in this class. Like, 'Damn, I dont think I got that in me right now,' as opposed to the guy whos coming off the bench and like, 'Dude, I just want to play right now. We're going to double dip with Barry Sanders but this time it's a family affair. Im going to go track that thing down. Hail Mary passes, knockout tackles, and deep throws down the sideline are all cool plays in football, but there's nothing quite as exciting as a kick return touchdown. Or write about sports? The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.