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The Illinois Fighting Illini football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Illinois Fighting Illini 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 Fighting Illini represent the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the NCAA 's Big Ten Conference .
Although Illinois began competing in intercollegiate football in 1890,[ 1] the school's official record book generally does not include statistics from before the 1950s, as records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent. An exception to this is Red Grange , who appears several times on these lists despite playing in the 1920s.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since the 1950s, 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 Fighting Illini have played in 4 bowl games since then, all since 2008, giving recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2016 season .
Passing
Passing yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Jack Trudeau
8,725
1981 1983 1984 1985
2
Kurt Kittner
8,722
1998 1999 2000 2001
3
Nathan Scheelhaase
8,568
2010 2011 2012 2013
4
Juice Williams
8,037
2006 2007 2008 2009
5
Jason Verduzco
7,532
1989 1990 1991 1992
6
Tony Eason
7,031
1981 1982
7
Wes Lunt
5,900[ 3]
2014 2015 2016
8
Johnny Johnson
5,293
1992 1993 1994 1995
9
Jon Beutjer
5,190
2002 2003 2004
10
Jeff George
5,189
1988 1989
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Tony Eason
3,671
1982
2
Tony Eason
3,360
1981
3
Jack Trudeau
3,339
1985
4
Nathan Scheelhaase
3,272
2013
5
Kurt Kittner
3,256
2001
6
Juice Williams
3,173
2008
7
Dave Wilson
3,154
1980
8
Jason Verduzco
3,014
1991
9
Wes Lunt
2,761
2015
10
Jeff George
2,738
1989
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Robert Holcombe
4,105
1994 1995 1996 1997
2
Antoineo Harris
2,985
1999 2000 2001 2002
3
Thomas Rooks
2,887
1982 1983 1984 1985
4
Jim Grabowski
2,878
1963 1964 1965
5
Rocky Harvey
2,711
1998 1999 2000 2001
6
Josh Ferguson
2,856
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
7
Juice Williams
2,557
2006 2007 2008 2009
Mikel Leshoure
2,557
2008 2009 2010
9
Pierre Thomas
2,545
2003 2004 2005 2006
10
Rashard Mendenhall
2,539
2005 2006 2007
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Mikel Leshoure
1,697
2010
2
Rashard Mendenhall
1,681
2007
3
Antoineo Harris
1,330
2002
4
Robert Holcombe
1,281
1996
5
Jim Grabowski
1,258
1965
6
J.C. Caroline
1,256
1953
7
Robert Holcombe
1,253
1997
8
Keith Jones
1,196
1988
9
Howard Griffith
1,115
1990
10
Thomas Rooks
1,056
1984
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
David Williams
3,392
1983 1984 1985
2
Brandon Lloyd
2,583
1999 2000 2001 2002
3
A. J. Jenkins
2,432
2008 2009 2010 2011
4
Walter Young
2,382
1999 2000 2001 2002
5
Mike Martin
2,300
1979 1980 1981 1982
6
John Wright
2,284
1965 1966 1967
7
Arrelious Benn
2,221
2007 2008 2009
8
Jason Dulick
2,004
1993 1994 1995 1996
9
Shawn Wax
1,614
1987 1988 1989 1990
10
Geronimo Allison
1,482
2014 2015
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 18]
Total offense yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Nathan Scheelhaase
10,634
2010 2011 2012 2013
2
Juice Williams
10,594
2006 2007 2008 2009
3
Kurt Kittner
8,880
1998 1999 2000 2001
4
Jack Trudeau
8,640
1981 1983 1984 1985
5
Jason Verduzco
7,256
1989 1990 1991 1992
6
Tony Eason
7,002
1981 1982
7
Wes Lunt
5,602 [ 3]
2014 2015 2016
8
Johnny Johnson
5,358
1992 1993 1994 1995
9
Jon Beutjer
5,158
2002 2003 2004
10
Jeff George
4,767
1988 1989
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Juice Williams
3,892
2008
2
Tony Eason
3,671
1982
3
Nathan Scheelhaase
3,543
2013
4
Tony Eason
3,331
1981
5
Jack Trudeau
3,321
1985
6
Kurt Kittner
3,242
2001
7
Jason Verduzco
2,983
1991
8
Dave Wilson
2,960
1980
9
Jack Trudeau
2,797
1984
10
Kurt Kittner
2,785
1999
Total touchdowns
Defense
Interceptions
Single game
Rank
Player
Ints
Year
Opponent
1
Phil Knell
3
1966
Purdue
2
Mike Gow
3
1973
Minnesota
Mike Gow
4
1974
Stanford
Duane Lyle
3
1995
East Carolina
Eugene Wilson
3
2001
Penn State
Tackles
Sacks
Single game
Rank
Player
Sacks
Year
Opponent
1
Simeon Rice
5.0
1994
Washington State
2
Mike Poloskey
4.0
1991
East Carolina
Will Davis
4.0
2007
Indiana
Clay Nurse
4.0
2009
Minnesota
5
Jeff Weisse
3.5
1998
Middle Tennessee
Kicking
Field goals made
Single game
Rank
Player
FGs
Year
Opponent
1
Dan Beaver
5
1973
Purdue
Mike Bass
5
1982
Wisconsin
Chris White
5
1984
Wisconsin
Doug Higgins
5
1990
Michigan State
Field goal percentage
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold