The list of college football yearly total offense leaders identifies the major college leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in two statistical categories: (1) total offense yards, and (2) total offense yards per game. From 1937 to 1969, the NCAA determined its national total offense individual title based on total yardage. Starting in 1970, the NCAA began making that determination based on total offense yards per game.

Total offense leaders Key † = Winner of that year's Heisman Trophy Bold = Figure established an NCAA major college record

+ Leaders in total offense by NCAA season Year Name Total yards Name 1937Byron White(Colorado)1,596 1938Davey O'Brien(TCU)1,847 1939Kenny Washington(UCLA)1,370Tom Harmon(Michigan)169.5 1940Johnny Knolla(Creighton)1,420Tom Harmon† (Michigan)168.3 1941Bud Schwenk (Washington University in St. Louis)1,928Bud Schwenk (confirming that Schwenk's 1,928 yards were gained in only nine games)214.2 1942Frank Sinkwich† (Georgia)2,187 1943R. Hoernschemeyer (Indiana)1,648 1944Bob Fenimore (Oklahoma State)1,758Bob Fenimore(Fenimore's 1,758 yards were accumulated in only eight games)219.75 1945Bob Fenimore (Oklahoma State)1,641Bob Fenimore (Fenimore's 1,641 yards were gained in eight games)205.1 1946Travis Tidwell(Auburn)1,715Travis Tidwell(Tidwell's 1,715 yards were gained in 10 games) (total offense runner-up Layne also appeared in 10 games)171.5 1947Fred Enke (Arizona)1,941Fred Enke (Enke's 1,941 yards second highest in history, tallied in 10 games)194.1 1948Stan Heath (Nevada)1,992Stan Heath (Heath's 1,992 yards gained in only nine games)221.3 1949Johnny Bright(Drake)1,950 1950Johnny Bright (Drake)2,400Johnny Bright (showing that Bright's 2,400 yards of total offense were accumulated in only nine games)266.7 1951Dick Kazmaier† (Princeton)1,827 1952Ted Marchibroda (Detroit)1,813 1953Paul Larson (California)1,572 1954George Shaw (Oregon)1,536 1955George Welsh (Navy)1,348 1956John Brodie (Stanford)1,642 1957Bob Newman(Washington State)1,444 1958Dick Bass (Bass was first player since 1937 to win football's triple crown in scoring, rushing and total offense; Duncan gained 1,406 yards in nine games, one less than Bass, to lead in yards per game)(Pacific)1,440Randy Duncan(Iowa)156.2 1959Dick Norman(Stanford)2,018 1960Billy Kilmer(UCLA)1,889Billy Kilmer 188.9 1961Dave Hoppman(Iowa State)1,638Dave Hoppman 163.8 1962Terry Baker†(Oregon State)2,276 1963George Mira(Miami [FL])2,318George Mira (Mira's yardage gained in 10 games)231.8 1964Jerry Rhome(Tulsa)3,128Jerry Rhome (confirming Rhome gained his 3,128 yards in 10 games in 1964)312.8 1965Billy Anderson(Tulsa)3,343Billy Anderson (confirming Anderson gained his 3,343 yards in 10 games in 1965)334.3 1966Virgil Carter(BYU)2,545 1967Sal Olivas (New Mexico State)2,184 1968Greg Cook(Cincinnati)3,210Greg Cook321.0 1969Dennis Shaw(San Diego State)3,197 1970Jim Plunkett(Stanford)3,189Pat Sullivan(Auburn)285.6 1971Don Bunce(Stanford)2,805Gary Huff(Florida State)241.2 1972Don Strock(Virginia Tech)3,170Don Strock288.2 1973Jesse Freitas(San Diego State)2,901Jesse Freitas263.7 1974Gene Swick(Toledo)2,450Steve Joachim(Temple)222.7 1975Gene Swick(Toledo)2,706Gene Swick246.0 1976Tommy Kramer(Rice)3,272Tommy Kramer297.5 1977Doug Williams(Grambling)3,249Doug Williams293.5 1978Mike Ford(SMU)2,957Mike Ford268.8 1979Marc Wilson(BYU)3,580Marc Wilson325.5 1980Jim McMahon(BYU)4,627Jim McMahon385.6 1981Sam King(UNLV)3,562Jim McMahon345.8 1982Todd Dillon(Long Beach State)3,587Todd Dillon326.1 1983Steve Young(BYU)4,346Steve Young395.1 1984Doug Flutie†(Boston College)4,013Robbie Bosco327.7 1985Robbie Bosco(BYU)4,141Jim Everett(Purdue)326.3 1986Mike Perez(San Jose State)3,250Mike Perez329.9 1987Todd Santos(San Diego State)3,688Todd Santos307.3 1988Scott Mitchell(Utah)4,299Scott Mitchell390.8 1989Andre Ware†(Houston)4,661Andre Ware423.7 1990David Klingler(Houston)5,221David Klingler474.6 1991Ty Detmer(BYU)4,001Ty Detmer333.4 1992Jimmy Klingler(Houston)3,768Jimmy Klingler342.5 1993Chris Vargas(Nevada)4,332Chris Vargas393.8 1994Stoney Case(New Mexico)3,649Mike Maxwell(Nevada)318.0 1995Cody Ledbetter(New Mexico State)3,724Mike Maxwell(Nevada)402.6 1996Josh Wallwork(Wyoming)4,209Josh Wallwork350.8 1997Tim Rattay(Louisiana Tech)3,968Tim Rattay360.7 1998Tim Rattay4,865Tim Rattay403.3 1999Drew Brees(Purdue)4,086Tim Rattay381.0 2000Drew Brees(Purdue)4,189Drew Brees358.1 2001David Carr(Fresno State)4,906Rex Grossman(Florida)354.9 2002Kliff Kingsbury(Texas Tech)4,903Byron Leftwich(Marshall)355.6 2003B. J. Symons(Texas Tech)5,976B. J. Symons459.7 2004Sonny Cumbie(Texas Tech)4,575Sonny Cumbie381.3 2005Colt Brennan(Hawaii)4,455Colt Brennan371.3 2006Colt Brennan5,915Colt Brennan422.5 2007Graham Harrell(Texas Tech)5,614Graham Harrell431.8 2008Case Keenum(Houston)5,241Case Keenum403.2 2009Case Keenum5,829Case Keenum416.4 2010Bryant Moniz(Hawaii)5,142Bryant Moniz367.3 2011Case Keenum(Houston)5,666Case Keenum404.7 2012Johnny Manziel†(Texas A&M)5,116Johnny Manziel393.5 2013Derek Carr(Fresno State)5,200Derek Carr399.9 2014Marcus Mariota†(Oregon)5,224Connor Halliday(Washington State)415.8 2015Deshaun Watson(Clemson)5,209Patrick Mahomes(Texas Tech)393.0 2016 Patrick Mahomes(Texas Tech) 5,307 Patrick Mahomes(Texas Tech) 410.5 2017 Lamar Jackson(Louisville) 5,261 Lamar Jackson(Louisville) 404.7 2018 Kyler Murray†(Oklahoma) 5,362 Kyler Murray(Oklahoma) 383.0 2019 Joe Burrow†(LSU) 6,039 Joe Burrow(LSU) 402.62020Mac Jones(Alabama)4,514Matt Corral(Ole Miss)384.3 2021 Bailey Zappe(Western Kentucky) 5,984 Bailey Zappe(Western Kentucky) 427.4 2022 Drake Maye(North Carolina) 5,019 Michael Penix Jr.(Washington) 364.1 2023 Jayden Daniels†(LSU) 4,946 Jayden Daniels†(LSU) 412.2 2024 Jaxson Dart(Ole Miss) 4,774 Jaxson Dart(Ole Miss) 367.2 2025 Drew Mestemaker(North Texas) 4,468 Byrum Brown(South Florida) 347.2

Pre-1937 unofficial data Before 1937 the NCAA did not compile official statistics. This chart reflects unofficial total offense statistics compiled by historians mostly from newspaper accounts. Prior to 1913, total offense leaders will be almost exclusively due to rushing yards, and prior to 1906 there was no forward pass.

+ Unofficial leaders in total offense from 1901 to 1936 Year Name Total yards Name 1936Sammy Baugh(TCU)1,324 1935Sammy Baugh(TCU) 1,435 1934Dixie Howell(Alabama)1,437 Dixie Howell143.71933 1932Pug Lund(Minnesota)1,203 1931 1930Marchy Schwartz(Notre Dame) 1,246 1929 Lloyd BrazilRed Cagle had 1403(Detroit) 1928 Ken Strong(NYU) 3,000 Ken Strong3001927Bill Spears(Vanderbilt) 2,001 Bill Spears181.91926Gibby Welch(Pittsburgh)1,964 or 1,172 1925 Swede Oberlander(Dartmouth)1,147 1924Red Grange(Illinois) 1,176 Red Grange1471923 1922 1921 Aubrey Devine(Iowa) 2,211 Aubrey Devine315.91920 Jimmy Leech(VMI) 1,771 Jimmy Leech196.81919 George Gipp(Notre Dame)1,456 George Gipp161.81918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 Jim Thorpe(Carlisle)1,972 Jim Thorpe140.91911 Jim Thorpe(Carlisle) 914 1910 1909 1908 Jim Thorpe(Carlisle) 993 1907 1906 1905 1904 Willie Heston(Michigan)686 1903 1902 1901 Willie Heston(Michigan) 684

See also List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders List of NCAA major college football yearly receiving leaders List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders List of NCAA major college football yearly sack leaders List of NCAA major college football yearly punt and kickoff return leaders

References