Quarterback Brett Favre set Golden Eagle passing records in 1990 that stood for 30 years before being broken by Austin Davis and then Nick Mullens. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 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 Golden Eagles represent the University of Southern Mississippi in the NCAA Division I FBS Sun Belt Conference.
Although Southern Miss began competing in intercollegiate football in 1912,[ 1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1947. Records from before this year 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 1947, 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 Golden Eagles have played in 12 bowl games since then, giving players in recent seasons 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 Nick Mullens 11,994[ 3] 2013 2014 2015 2016 2 Austin Davis 10,892 2008 2009 2010 2011 3 Brett Favre 7,695 1987 1988 1989 1990 4 Dustin Almond 7,342 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 Jeff Kelly 7,095 1998 1999 2000 2001 6 Jack Abraham 7,067[ 4] 2018 2019 2020 7 Lee Roberts 6,289 1995 1996 1997 1998 8 Heath Graham 4,053 1994 1995 1996 9 Rick Donegan 3,753 1969 1970 1971 10 Tommy Waters 3,681 1991 1992 1993 1994
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Nick Mullens 4,476[ 3] 2015 2 Austin Davis 3,496 2011 Jack Abraham 3,496[ 4] 2019 4 Nick Mullens 3,272[ 3] 2016 5 Austin Davis 3,128 2008 6 Austin Davis 3,103 2010 7 Dustin Almond 2,860 2005 8 Lee Roberts 2,680 1998 9 Jeff Kelly 2,613 2001 10 Brett Favre 2,588 1989
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Damion Fletcher 5,302 2006 2007 2008 2009 2 Ito Smith 4,536[ 16] 2014 2015 2016 2017 3 Frank Gore Jr. 4,022[ 17] 2020 2021 2022 2023 4 Ben Garry 3,595 1974 1975 1976 1977 5 Derrick Nix 3,584 1998 1999 2000 2002 6 Sammy Winder 3,114 1978 1979 1980 1981 7 Sam Dejarnette 2,908 1982 1983 1984 8 Vincent Alexander 2,648 1983 1984 1985 1986 9 Shelton Gandy 2,504 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 10 Reggie Collier 2,304 1979 1980 1981 1982
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Damion Fletcher 1,586 2007 2 Sam Dejarnette 1,545 1982 3 Ito Smith 1,459[ 16] 2016 4 Ito Smith 1,413[ 16] 2017 5 Damion Fletcher 1,388 2006 6 Frank Gore Jr. 1,382[ 17] 2022 7 Damion Fletcher 1,313 2008 8 Ben Garry 1,236 1976 9 Hugh Laurin Pepper 1,227 1952 10 Derrick Nix 1,194 2002
Rushing touchdowns Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Austin Davis 5[ 24] 2008 UAB 2 Doyle Orange 4 1972 Texas-Arlington Shelton Gandy 4 1986 Mississippi State Chris Windsor 4 1996 Louisiana-Lafayette Austin Davis 4[ 25] 2010 Houston Xavier Thigpen 4[ 20] 2015 Texas State Jalen Richard 4[ 26] 2015 Old Dominion Tate Whatley 4[ 27] 2020 Liberty
Receiving
Receptions Single game Rank Player Rec Year Opponent 1 Sherrod Gideon 13 1998 Penn State 2 Todd Pinkston 12 1998 Nevada Shawn Nelson 12[ 35] 2008 Auburn DeAndre Brown 12[ 7] 2008 Rice Tyre'oune Holmes 12[ 36] 2013 Texas State D. J. Thompson 12[ 37] 2016 Louisiana Tech Jason Brownlee 12[ 38] 2022 Troy
Receiving yards Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Sherrod Gideon 3,214 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Quez Watkins 2,404[ 28] 2017 2018 2019 3 Todd Pinkston 2,366 1996 1997 1998 1999 4 DeAndre Brown 2,207 2008 2009 2010 5 Jason Brownlee 2,144[ 31] 2020 2021 2022 6 Shawn Nelson 2,054 2005 2006 2007 2008 7 Tim Jones 2,011[ 29] 2017 2018 2019 2020 8 LeRoy Handy 1,890 1999 2000 2001 2002 9 Michael Thomas 1,793 2014 2015 10 Marvin Young 1,717 2001 2002 2003 2004
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 45]
Total offense yards Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Austin Davis 12,267 2008 2009 2010 2011 2 Nick Mullens 11,779 [ 3] 2013 2014 2015 2016 3 Brett Favre 7,606 1987 1988 1989 1990 4 Dustin Almond 7,602 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 Jeff Kelly 7,113 1998 1999 2000 2001 6 Jack Abraham 7,092 [ 4] 2018 2019 2020 7 Lee Roberts 5,777 1995 1996 1997 1998 8 Reggie Collier 5,966 1979 1980 1981 1982 9 Damion Fletcher 5,305 2006 2007 2008 2009 10 Frank Gore Jr. 4,402 [ 17] 2020 2021 2022 2023
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Nick Mullens 4,384 [ 3] 2015 2 Austin Davis 3,848 2011 3 Austin Davis 3,636 2008 4 Jack Abraham 3,573 [ 4] 2019 5 Austin Davis 3,555 2010 6 Nick Mullens 3,213 [ 3] 2016 7 Dustin Almond 2,763 2005 8 Jeff Kelly 2,645 2001 9 Brett Favre 2,563 1989 10 Lee Roberts 2,532 1998
Total touchdowns Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Dustin Almond 6 [ 14] 2005 UCF Austin Davis 6 [ 24] 2008 UAB Austin Davis 6 [ 25] 2010 Houston Nick Mullens 6 [ 15] 2013 UAB
Defense Note: The 2014 Southern Miss Football Media Guide does not give a full top 10 for defensive statistics.[ 1]
Interceptions Single game Rank Player Ints Year Opponent 1 Larry Ussery 4 1967 Louisiana Tech 2 George Sekul 3 1957 Houston David Odom 3 1979 Louisville Labarion Rankins 3 1992 East Carolina Etric Pruitt 3 2002 Army
Tackles Single game Rank Player Tackles Year Opponent 1 T.J. Slaughter 26 1999 Texas A&M 2 Rod Davis 22 2003 Cincinnati 3 Thad McDowell 21 1989 Louisiana-Lafayette William Kirksey 21 1989 Louisiana-Lafayette Leo Barnes 21 1999 Texas A&M Gerald McRath 21[ 47] 2007 UCF
Sacks Single game Rank Player Sacks Year Opponent 1 Chris Jackson 4.0 1983 Louisiana Tech Cedric Scott 4.0 2000 Houston 3 Chris Jackson 3.0 1983 Ole Miss Rod Reed 3.0 1988 Tulane Michael Tobias 3.0 1993 Pittsburgh Jeffrey Posey 3.0 1996 Tulane Roy Magee 3.0 2000 Houston Michael Boley 3.0 2003 East Carolina Tom Johnson 3.0[ 14] 2005 UCF Jamie Collins 3.0[ 49] 2012 UAB Daylen Gill 3.0[ 18] 2022 Rice
Kicking
Field goals made
Field goal percentage Single season Rank Player FG% Year 1 Briggs Bourgeois 94.7% [ 51] 2022 2 Parker Shaunfield 85.7% [ 50] 2016 3 Parker Shaunfield 85.0% [ 50] 2017 4 Darren McCaleb 84.2% 2004 5 Danny Hrapmann 83.9% 2010 6 Chris Pierce 82.4% 1995 Darren McCaleb 82.4% 2003 8 Darren McCaleb 82.1% 2005 9 Andrew Stein 81.8% [ 52] 2019 10 Tim Hardaway 81.3% 1997
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