The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program in various categories,[ 1] [ 2] including passing , rushing , receiving , total offense , defensive stats, and kicking . Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Hilltoppers represent Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the NCAA 's Conference USA (C-USA).
Although Western Kentucky began competing in intercollegiate football in 1908,[ 1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun the 1950s. 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 1951, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
C-USA has held a championship game since 2005. Since joining the league in 2014, WKU has appeared in three title games, winning in 2015 and 2016 and losing in 2021.
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.
Postseason games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[ 3] Since then, the Hilltoppers have appeared the FCS Playoffs three times and in eight bowl games .
Due to COVID-19 , the NCAA declared that the 2020 season would not count against any player's athletic eligibility, thus giving anyone who appeared in a game during that season five years of eligibility instead of the standard four.
These lists are updated through the 2021 season .
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Brandon Doughty
12,855
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
2
Jeff Cesarone
8,566
1984 1985 1986 1987
3
Mike White
8,540
2016 2017
4
Austin Reed
8,084[ 4]
2022 2023
5
Justin Haddix
7,929
2003 2004 2005 2006
6
Kawaun Jakes
7,538
2009 2010 2011 2012
7
Bailey Zappe
5,967[ 5] [ a]
2021
8
Johnny Vance
4,046
1966 1967 1968 1969
9
John Hall
3,876
1977 1978 1979 1980
10
Jimmy Feix
3,780
1949 1950 1951 1952
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Bailey Zappe
5,967[ 5]
2021
2
Brandon Doughty
5,055
2015
3
Brandon Doughty
4,830
2014
4
Austin Reed
4,744[ 4]
2022
5
Mike White
4,363
2016
6
Mike White
4,177
2017
7
Austin Reed
3,340[ 4]
2023
8
Brandon Doughty
2,857
2013
9
Jeff Cesarone
2,737
1985
10
Ty Storey
2,567
2019
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Bobby Rainey
4,542
2008 2009 2010 2011
2
Lerron Moore
4,396
2003 2004 2005 2006
3
Willie Taggart
3,997
1995 1996 1997 1998
4
Antwan Floyd
3,775
1993 1994 1995 1996
5
Antonio Andrews
3,674
2010 2011 2012 2013
6
Joe Arnold
3,570
1985 1986 1987 1988
7
Dickie Moore
3,560
1965 1966 1967 1968
8
Anthony Wales
3,342
2013 2014 2015 2016
9
Clarence Jackson
2,584
1970 1971 1972 1973
10
Jimmy Woods
2,479
1975 1976 1977 1978
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Antonio Andrews
1,730
2013
2
Antonio Andrews
1,728
2012
3
Bobby Rainey
1,695
2011
4
Joe Arnold
1,668
1988
5
Bobby Rainey
1,649
2010
6
Anthony Wales
1,621
2016
7
Leon Allen
1,542
2014
8
Jon Frazier
1,537
2002
9
Lerron Moore
1,490
2003
10
Dickie Moore
1,444
1967
Single game
Rank
Player
TDs
Year
Opponent
1
Antonio Andrews
5
2013
Morgan State
2
5 times
4
Most recent: Anthony Wales, 2016 vs. Louisiana Tech
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Taywan Taylor
4,234
2013 2014 2015 2016
2
Nicholas Norris
3,091
2013 2014 2015 2016
3
Malachi Corley
3,033[ 15]
2020 2021 2022 2023
4
Lucky Jackson
2,691
2016 2017 2018 2019
5
Curtis Hamilton
2,324
2004 2005 2006 2007
6
Jay Davis
2,236
1968 1969 1970 1971
7
Willie McNeal
2,181
2010 2012 2013 2014
8
Keith Paskett
2,117
1983 1984 1985 1986
9
Eddie Preston
2,083
1976 1977 1978 1979
10
Joey Stockton
2,057
1995 1996 1997
Receiving touchdowns [ edit ]
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 24]
Total offense yards [ edit ]
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Brandon Doughty
12,570
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
2
Justin Haddix
8,890
2003 2004 2005 2006
3
Austin Reed
8,408 [ 4]
2022 2023
4
Willie Taggart
7,223
1995 1996 1997 1998
5
Jeff Cesarone
7,852
1984 1985 1986 1987
6
Kawaun Jakes
8,323
2009 2010 2011 2012
7
Bailey Zappe
5,984 [ 5] [ a]
2021
8
Johnny Vance
4,782
1966 1967 1968 1969
9
Bobby Rainey
4,595
2008 2009 2010 2011
10
Lerron Moore
4,334
2003 2004 2005 2006
Single season
Rank
Player
Yards
Year
1
Bailey Zappe
5,984 [ 5]
2021
2
Austin Reed
4,968 [ 4]
2022
3
Brandon Doughty
4,933
2015
4
Brandon Doughty
4,778
2014
5
Mike White
4,289
2016
6
Austin Reed
3,440 [ 4]
2023
7
Brandon Doughty
2,478
2013
8
Kawaun Jakes
2,546
2012
9
Jeff Cesarone
2,542
1985
10
Willie Taggart
2,403
1997
Touchdowns responsible for [ edit ]
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[ 25] Note that Western's most recent (2021) football media guide does not list leaders in this statistic over any time frame, though past media guides have done so.
Single season
Rank
Player
Tackles
Year
1
Rick Green
213
1975
2
Paul Gray
173
1981
3
Melvin Wishman
171
2000
4
Erik Dandy
165
2003
5
Charles Thompson
159
2002
6
Richard Grice
156
1992
7
Erik Dandy
155
2001
8
Paul Grant
149
1982
9
Biff Madon
148
1976
10
Biff Madon
143
1977
Single season
Rank
Player
FGs
Year
1
Matt Lange
23
2003
Brayden Narveson
23[ 29]
2021
3
Peter Martinez
18
2002
4
Peter Martinez
17
2000
Cory Munson
17[ 30]
2019
6
Garrett Schwettman
16
2014
Skyler Simcox
16
2016
8
Dan Maher
15
1988
Chris James
15
2005
Garrett Schwettman
15
2015
Brayden Narveson
15[ 29]
2022
Single game
Rank
Player
FGs
Year
Opponent
1
Matt Lange
5
2003
Eastern Kentucky
2
Steve Donisi
4
1990
Eastern Kentucky
Chris Pino
4
1993
Jacksonville State
Casey Tinius
4
2009
Louisiana-Monroe
Garrett Schwettman
4
2015
Louisiana Tech
Brayden Narveson
4[ 31]
2021
Marshall
Field goal percentage [ edit ]
Minimum of 20 career attempts and 10 single-season attempts.
Single season
Rank
Player
FG%
Year
1
Garrett Schwettman
93.8%
2015
2
Brayden Narveson
92.9% [ 29]
2020
3
Chris Pino
92.3%
1993
4
Will Sweeney
90.0%
1994
5
Chris James
88.2%
2005
6
Matt Lange
82.1%
2003
7
Garrett Schwettman
81.3%
2013
8
Brayden Narveson
79.3% [ 29]
2021
9
Peter Martinez
77.3%
2000
10
Garrett Schwettman
76.9%
2012
^ a b c d Zappe began his college career at Houston Baptist in 2017, redshirting that season before playing three seasons. He transferred to Western after graduating from HBU in 2021.
^ a b c This was the regularly scheduled game between the two teams. They also played in the 2021 C-USA championship game.
^ Sterns began his college career at Houston Baptist in 2018, playing three seasons before transferring to Western.
^ a b Narveson began his college career at Iowa State in 2019, transferring to Western Kentucky after that season.
^ a b "2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Media Guide" . WKUSports.com . Retrieved November 7, 2015 .
^ "2021 WKU Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Retrieved October 26, 2021 .
^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Austin Reed" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d e f g h "Bailey Zappe" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 18, 2021 .
^ a b "Box Score: Ryan Conference USA Championship" . ESPN.com . December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021 .
^ a b c d "UTSA vs. Western Kentucky Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama Box Score" . ESPN.com . December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. Michigan State Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 .
^ a b "UT Martin vs. Western Kentucky Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021 .
^ a b c "Box Score: Florida Atlantic vs. Western Kentucky" . ESPN.com . November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021 .
^ a b c d "Box Score: RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl" . ESPN.com . November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. Charlotte Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion Box Score" . ESPN.com . December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023 .
^ a b c d e f g h i "Malachi Corley" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d "Jerreth Sterns" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 18, 2021 .
^ a b c d "Mitchell Tinsley" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 4, 2021 .
^ "Western Kentucky vs. Florida International Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021 .
^ "Troy vs. Western Kentucky Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022 .
^ a b "Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023 .
^ a b "Box Score: Western Kentucky vs. Rice" . ESPN.com . November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021 .
^ "Austin Peay vs. Western Kentucky Box Score" . ESPN.com . August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022 .
^ "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . NCAA. p. 9. Retrieved December 4, 2021 .
^ "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . NCAA. p. 12. Retrieved December 4, 2021 .
^ a b c d "DeAngelo Malone" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 18, 2021 .
^ "Juwuan Jones" . ESPN.com .
^ "JaQues Evans" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d e f "Brayden Narveson" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 18, 2021 .
^ a b c "Cory Munson" . ESPN.com .
^ "Box Score: Western Kentucky vs. Marshall" . ESPN.com . November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021 .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold