USC Trojans football statistical leaders explained
The USC Trojans football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the USC Trojans football program in various categories,[1] including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking/special teams. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. Through the 2023 season, the Trojans represented the University of Southern California in the NCAA Division I FBS Big 10 team, but will join the Big Ten Conference for 2024 and beyond.
Although USC began competing in intercollegiate football in 1888, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in the 1920s. Records from before this decade are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since the 1920s, seasons have increased from 10 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.
- The Trojans have played in 57 bowl games in school history,[2] 39 of which have come since the 1970 season. Although the official NCAA record book does not include bowl games in statistical records until 2002,[3] and most colleges also structure their record books this way, USC counts all bowl games in its records.[1]
- Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player, giving everyone who played in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.[4]
These lists are updated through the end of the 2023 season. Recent USC Football Media Guides do not include full top 10 lists for single-game records. However, the 2003 version of the media guide included long lists of top individual single-game performances,[5] and box scores from more recent games are readily available, so the lists are easily derived.
Passing
Passing yards
Career| 1 | Matt Barkley | 12,327 | |
| 2 | Carson Palmer | 11,818 | |
| 3 | Matt Leinart | 10,693 | |
| 4 | Cody Kessler | 10,339 | 2012 2013 2014 2015 |
| 5 | Rob Johnson | 8,472 | |
| 6 | Rodney Peete | 8,225 | |
| 7 | | 8,170[6] | 2022 2023 |
| 8 | Kedon Slovis | 7,576 | 2019 2020 2021 |
| 9 | | 7,229 | 2016 2017 |
| 10 | | 6,125 | | |
Single season| 1 | | 4,537 | |
| 2 | | 4,143 | |
| 3 | Carson Palmer | 3,942 | |
| 4 | Cody Kessler | 3,826 | |
| 5 | Matt Leinart | 3,815 | |
| 6 | | 3,633 | |
| 7 | Rob Johnson | 3,630 | |
| 8 | Matt Leinart | 3,556 | |
| 9 | Cody Kessler | 3,536 | |
| 10 | Matt Barkley | 3,528 | |
|
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career| 1 | Charles White | 6,245 | |
| 2 | Marcus Allen | 4,810 | |
| 3 | Anthony Davis | 3,724 | |
| 4 | Ricky Bell | 3,689 | |
| 5 | | 3,619 | 2015 2016 2017 |
| 6 | O. J. Simpson | 3,423 | |
| 7 | Mike Garrett | 3,221 | |
| 8 | Reggie Bush | 3,169 | |
| 9 | LenDale White | 3,159 | |
| 10 | Fred Crutcher | 2,815 | | |
Single season| 1 | Marcus Allen | 2,427 | |
| 2 | Charles White | 2,050 | |
| 3 | Ricky Bell | 1,957 | |
| 4 | O. J. Simpson | 1,880 | |
| 5 | Charles White | 1,859 | |
| 6 | Reggie Bush | 1,740 | |
| 7 | Marcus Allen | 1,563 | |
| 8 | | 1,550 | 2017 |
| 9 | O. J. Simpson | 1,543 | |
| 10 | Javorius Allen | 1,489 | | |
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career| 1 | Marqise Lee | 3,655 | |
| 2 | Johnnie Morton | 3,201 | |
| 3 | Dwayne Jarrett | 3,138 | |
| 4 | Kareem Kelly | 3,104 | 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
| 5 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | 3,092 | |
| 6 | Steve Smith | 3,019 | |
| 7 | Keary Colbert | 2,964 | |
| 8 | Robert Woods | 2,930 | 2010 2011 2012 |
| 9 | Tyler Vaughns | 2,801 | 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
| 10 | Keyshawn Johnson | 2,796 | | |
Single season| 1 | Marqise Lee | 1,721 | |
| 2 | Johnnie Morton | 1,520 | |
| 3 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | 1,454 | |
| 4 | Keyshawn Johnson | 1,434 | |
| 5 | Keyshawn Johnson | 1,362 | |
| 6 | Mike Williams | 1,314 | |
| 7 | Nelson Agholor | 1,313 | |
| 8 | Robert Woods | 1,292 | |
| 9 | Michael Pittman Jr. | 1,275 | |
| 10 | Dwayne Jarrett | 1,274 | | |
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[10]
Total offense yards
Career| 1 | Matt Barkley | 12,214 | |
| 2 | Carson Palmer | 11,621 | |
| 3 | Matt Leinart | 10,623 | |
| 4 | Cody Kessler | 9,914 | 2012 2013 2014 2015 |
| 5 | | 8,688 | 2022 2023 |
| 6 | Rodney Peete | 8,640 | |
| 7 | Rob Johnson | 7,896 | |
| 8 | | 7,561 | 2016 2017 |
| 9 | Kedon Slovis | 7,426 | 2019 2020 2021 |
| 10 | Charles White | 6,240 | 1976 1977 1978 1979 | |
Single season| 1 | | 4,919 | 2022 |
| 2 | | 4,225 | 2017 |
| 3 | Matt Leinart | 3,851 | |
| 4 | Carson Palmer | 3,820 | |
| 5 | | 3,769 | 2023 |
| 6 | Cody Kessler | 3,674 | |
| 7 | Matt Barkley | 3,542 | |
| 8 | Matt Leinart | 3,494 | 2003 |
| 9 | Kedon Slovis | 3,445 | 2019 |
| 10 | Rob Johnson | 3,425 | |
|
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[11]
Defense
Note: The USC Football Media Guide does not generally give a full top 10 in defensive statistics.[1]
Interceptions
Tackles
Single season| 1 | Rex Moore | 206 | | |
Sacks
Special teams
Field goals made
Field goal percentage
Notes and References
- Web site: 2023 USC Trojans Football Media Guide . USC Trojans . July 20, 2023 . December 28, 2023.
- Web site: USC Trojans Bowls . Sports-Reference CFB . Sports Reference LLC . December 28, 2023.
- Web site: NCAA changes policy on football stats. 2002-08-28. 2014-09-11. ESPN.com. AP.
- News: NCAA approves blanket waiver for 2020 fall sports athletes to retain year of eligibility . David . Cobb . CBSSports.com . August 21, 2020 . November 27, 2021.
- Web site: Top Individual Performances. 2015-02-22. USCTrojans.com. February 22, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150222224413/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/03-top-perf.pdf. dead.
- Web site: Caleb Williams . ESPN.com . December 28, 2023.
- Web site: USC vs. Colorado Box Score. ESPN.com. September 30, 2023. October 3, 2023.
- Web site: Box Score: DIRECTV Holiday Bowl . ESPN.com . December 27, 2023 . December 28, 2023.
- Web site: Brenden Rice . ESPN.com . December 28, 2023.
- Web site: 2022 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 9 . October 17, 2022.
- Web site: 2022 Football Bowl Subdivision Records . NCAA . 12 . October 17, 2022.
