
The lists of Michigan Wolverines football statistical leaders identify individual statistical leaders of the
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the List of NCAA football teams by wins, most all-time wins in college football ...
program in various offensive categories, including
passing,
rushing
Rushing means a sudden forward motion, or a surge or onslaught.
Rushing may refer to:
Tactics
* Rush (gridiron football), advancing the ball by running on offense. On defense, charging the quarterback or kicker is a pass rush.
* Human wave atta ...
, and
receptions. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season and career leaders in yardage, number (receptions, rushes or passes), and
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s. Statistics accumulated after transferring from or before transferring to Michigan are not included here.
The Michigan Wolverines football program is a
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
team that represents the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
in the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
's
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...
.
Passing leaders. Michigan's career leader in passing yardage is
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines foo ...
with 9,715 passing yards from 2004 to 2007. Henne also holds the career records in completions (828) and touchdown passes (87).
John Navarre holds the records for passing yards in a single season (3,331), set during the
2003 season.
Devin Gardner
Devin Jaymes Gardner (born December 14, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots ...
holds the record for passing yards in a single game (503) against Indiana in 2013.
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New Engla ...
holds the school's record for most completions in a game, having completed 34 passes against Alabama in the
2000 Orange Bowl
The 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Alabama Crimson Tide on January 1, 2000, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Michigan defeated Alabama 35–34 in a ...
.
Rushing leaders. Michigan's career leader in rushing yards is
Mike Hart with 5,040 rushing yards from 2004 to 2007. Hart also holds the career record with 1,050 carries.
Tim Biakabutuka
Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka (born January 24, 1974) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1993 to 1995, and was drafted with the eight overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft by th ...
holds the single-season record with 1,818 rushing yards during the
1995 season.
Ron Johnson
Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American businessman and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Rep ...
holds the single-game record with 347 rushing yards in a game against Wisconsin during the
1967 season.
Willie Heston
William Martin Heston (September 9, 1878 – September 9, 1963) was an American football player and coach. He played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. Heston was the head football coach for Drake Universit ...
, who played on
Fielding H. Yost's "Point-a-Minute" teams from 1901 to 1904, holds the career record for rushing touchdowns with 72.
Blake Corum holds the records for most rushing touchdowns in a season (27), setting the record during
Michigan’s 2023 national championship campaign.
Albert E. Herrnstein owns the single-game touchdown record (7), having set the mark for the
1902 team.
Receiving leaders. Michigan receiving records are dominated by
Braylon Edwards
Braylon Jamel Edwards (born February 21, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was a unanimous All-American playing college football for the Michigan Wolver ...
who played for Michigan from 2001 to 2004. When Edwards finished, he held the records for most career receiving yards (3,541), receptions (252), and touchdowns (39). In
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, Edwards also set the single-season records for receiving yards (1,330) and receptions (97). However, in
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
his single-season record for receiving yards was surpassed by
Jeremy Gallon
Jeremy Jermaine Gallon (born February 9, 1990) is an American former football player who was a wide receiver. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, finishing second all-time in school history in receptions and receiving yards. ...
, who finished the season with 1,373 yards.
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner
Desmond Howard
Desmond Kevin Howard (born May 15, 1970) is an American former professional football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, wi ...
holds the single season record with 19 touchdown catches during the
1991 season. Michigan's single-game records are held by
Jeremy Gallon
Jeremy Jermaine Gallon (born February 9, 1990) is an American former football player who was a wide receiver. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, finishing second all-time in school history in receptions and receiving yards. ...
(369 receiving yards, Indiana, October 19, 2013),
Marquise Walker (15 receptions twice, Ohio State, November 24, 2001 and Washington, September 8, 2001), and
Derrick Alexander (4 touchdown receptions, Minnesota, October 24, 1992).
Historical caveats. Although Michigan began competing in intercollegiate football in 1879, the school's official statistical database only tracks offensive statistics since 1949.
Definitive tracking of most defensive statistics dates only to 1965, and tracking of sacks did not start until 1979. Field goal statistics have only been included since 1984, and a complete database of field goal statistics (i.e., down to the level of individual games) dates only to 1997.
Because the official database commences in 1949, many statistical achievements are overlooked in these lists. For example,
Dick Rifenburg's career receiving statistics are not included in the official database despite the fact that his 16 career and eight single-season touchdowns were recognized as school records until 1980.
Where pre-1949 records are available from reliable sources, they have been included below with yellow shading. Because there is no complete database of pre-1949 records, such records are incomplete and may not be considered "official" records.
With playing seasons extending progressively from relatively short four-games seasons in the 19th century to the current 12-game regular seasons, conference championship games, and bowl games, and with players being eligible to play four years of college football starting in 1972, as well as the NCAA's decision to not count the
COVID
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
-affected
2020 season against the athletic eligibility of any football player, the lists tend to be dominated by more recent players.
Passing
Completions
Passing yards
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Rushing touchdowns
Records for years prior to 1949 are not included in the University of Michigan's statistical records database. Where pre-1949 records are available from reliable sources, they have been included below with yellow shading. Because there is no complete database of pre-1949 records, such records are incomplete and may not be considered "official" records. Unless otherwise indicated, touchdown totals in this section are taken from the 2011 Michigan Football Record Book.
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense
Total offense, also called total yards, is a gridiron football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a player or team. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage, which gives credit for passing yardage ...
is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.
Michigan does not include total offense records in its current statistical database.
Total offense yards
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the official NCAA designation for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.
Defense
Interceptions
Tackles
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Field goal percentage
Margin of victory
Season
Game (overall)
Game (modern era)
References
{{Big Ten Conference football statistical leaders navbox
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
*
Michigan Wolverines football statistical leaders