After a punt from the New Orleans Saints landed into the endzone, it appeared that the ball was going to bounce out of bounds, causing a touchback to the 20-yard linebut it didnt. Jacoby Jones has had a few standout returns in his career, and this one against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII might be his most impressive. Here are 10 current college football records one man at SDS has deemed unbreakable: Who holds it: Oklahoma, from 1953-57 1 pick in the NFL draft (Mayfield), the former of whom is arguably a generational talent at the position and the latter of whom was named the best player in the country one year later. Ginn visited the end zone four more times on kick returns over the next three seasonsincluding taking the opening kickoff back 92 yards in the 2007 BCS National Championship Gameand finished his career as the Big Ten's all-time leader in punt-return touchdowns. Looking for a great NFL history book? Ten players have done that in NFL history. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Most kick return TDs in NFL history: Falcons' Cordarrelle Patterson Green Bay Packers wideout Randall Cobb was anxious to get his pro career startedso anxious that he brought out a kickoff after receiving it eight yards deep in the end zone. Leaders Since 1976 Share & Export Modify, Export & Share Table Get as Excel Workbook Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 7 college football records *we think* will never be broken This might be the most controversial of all our classes to be No.3, but this class had depth and a star on the field, and a headache off it all rolled into one class. While his special teams coach may have been upset, Cobb rewarded him with a dazzling play, using his 4.46-second 40-yard dash time to blaze by the New Orleans Saints defense. MORE FROM THE COMBINE:Brad Holmes: 'I don't think the cupboard's bare on defense'. College football: The best last-second, game-winning touchdown in Ranking Titans' Best Draft Classes: No. 3 The 2005 Group Anchored By Here's a look at the 2005 draft class and its impact on the team. NFL Career Leaders - Punt Return Touchdowns - FootballDB.com Start the video below at 1:11 for the amazing return. Williams missed most of last season due to an ACL injury but is expected to be fully healthy by the start of the next season. But to do so in just five games is potentially unsustainable, and that's why Sanders' record, amid a season in which he rushed for 2,628 yards in just 11 games (! Offenses rarely get six possessions in a quarter, much less time to throw it to the end zone six different times. Not that the Red Raiders' notoriously potent offense needed help putting points on the board, but Welker was an extra threat to score any time he fielded a kick. As good as Jones-Drew was, UCLA has never seen a return man as dangerous as Antonio Perkins. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Learn how your comment data is processed. Whether it be a kickoff return or a punt return, football players put their amazing athletic ability on display as they weave in and out of tacklers, rushing down the field after receiving a kick. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Why its untouchable: Kevin Sumlins facilitator of the Air Raid during his time in college, Keenum was fearless from the pocket channeled visions of high-powered Cougars offenses of old, slinging it around like record-setting quarterbacks Andre Ware and David Klingler before him. Ismails first touchdown return against Michigan was the first kickoff returned for a touchdown against the Wolverines since 1957 over 30 years before Rockets epic launch. That's not happening. Michigan had narrowed Notre Dames lead to a single point right before halftime, but Rockets first touchdown returned stretched the Irishs lead to 14-6. Michigan State must replace All-American punter and fix disastrous Why its untouchable: Youve got to feel for Reaves, the Gators errant passer who tossed nine completions to the opposing defense at Auburn in 1969. The Hurricanes star did some impressive work in the NFL, but his best return ever might be from his days at The U. Hesters return against Duke was like a work of artif there were a museum honoring returns in football, this one might be considered the Mona Lisa of punt returns. This Big 12 shootout, which ended in a 66-59 win for Oklahoma, featured a future NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion(Mahomes) and a future Heisman Trophy winner and No. It is the most violent, video-friendly, terrifying, electrifying, dangerous and dramatic play in football. CLICK HERE. Elite running backs rarely play four seasons in todays game where the shelf life for ballcarriers has diminished and players arent often asked to carry it 30 times-plus every Saturday to save tread. Hester set the NFL record for most return touchdowns (combining kickoffs and punts) with 20 over the course of his career, and one of his best came in Super Bowl XLIwhich was played in. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Jameis Winston led Florida State to 29 consecutive victories during his tenure, an impressive streak snapped in violent fashion by Oregon in last years first College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp embraced the idea of incorporating Williams into a return role next season, when the team expects him fully healthy after missing most of last season while rehabbing from a torn ACL. "White Lightning" was another dual-sport football/track star who finished his Iowa career ('94-97) as the Big Ten's all-time leader in punt-return yardage and touchdowns. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. For those that don't know, a kick return touchdown is when the kickoff retu. Josh Cribbs (3/2009), Sports Reference Baseball Football(college) Basketball(college) Hockey Ftbol Blog Stathead Questions or Comments? It takes speed to return kicks well, but it also takes field vision, anticipation, agility, and some video game-like juke moves. The Yellow Jackets posted two 63-point quarters in the first half during a beating that will never be forgotten. Watching Spiller make defenders look like clowns while flying down the field in Clemson's orange unis, it was easy to recall images of Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State. Just look at Moore's freshman (36.2 receiving yards per game) and sophomore (70.8 yards per game) seasons to see that it took Moore time (and potentially a coaching change to offensive mind Lane Kiffin) for him to develop into a receiver who could average that many yards per game. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. Find out more. The next year, in 1989, he returned to kickoffs for touchdowns against Michigan at Michigan in the Big House. All NFL Teams. In 1988, "Prime Time" led the nation in punt-return average and left FSU as the school's all-time leader in punt return yards. ROAD WARRIORS: College football's longest active road winning streaks, Record: 3,690 rushing yardsRecord-holder: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State and Byron Sanders, NorthwesternSeason: 1988. Twenty-five players in college football history have run two kickoffs back for touchdowns in the same game. Whether it's football, fashion or just breathing, it's tough to make any "Most Electrifying" list without including Deion. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. His 65-yard catch-and-run score against Kansas State, 82-yard punt return touchdown against Texas Tech, and 80-yard jet sweep touchdown in 2022 are plenty of evidence that he could rewrite the . NFL Kick Returns for Touchdown Single Game Leaders All-Time Kick Returns for Touchdown Leaders Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football. Making the play even more amazing: The Saints basically had Cobb wrapped up, but he was able to spin out, flipping nearly upside downbreaking multiple tackles along the way to the Packers win in his first-ever NFL game. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Jones-Drew averaged over 26 yards per kickoff return, and by the time he went pro, he had scored seven return touchdowns. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. Hundreds waited in line for Jamaal Williams to sign autographs at DC Sports on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. ), is safe in our opinion. And that really wasn't even his best year as a kick-returner. Though I understand the safety concerns, it would be a shame to tear down a stage on which some of college football's most talented players have put in work. In order for this record to be topped, it would take a pair of quarterbacks likely future NFL starters to average roughly 700 passing yards apiece. Washington also returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown later in that game, setting a team record with two return scores in the same game. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 5. Lions coach Dan Campbell said he planned to use Williams as a gunner on punt team in his first NFL game, but the Lions never got the opportunity as the Jacksonville Jaguars failed to force a punt. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. Contact Dave Birkett atdbirkett@freepress.com. The Lane College alum ratcheted up his speed at the 15-yard line and bursted through a small seam in between the 49ers special teams front line. Hail Mary passes, knockout tackles, and deep throws down the sideline are all cool plays in football, but there's nothing quite as exciting as a kick return touchdown. Williams returned two kicks for touchdowns in his one season at Alabama, when he averaged 35.2 yards on 10 kick returns. Mitchell was a full-time quarterback at Louisiana-Lafayette. Klingler also holds the NCAA mark for most touchdown passes in one game (11). We present them here for purely educational purposes. NFL Career Leaders - Kickoff Return Touchdowns - FootballDB.com . Why its untouchable: Could it be more obvious? most games with two kickoff returns for touchdowns, A Brief History of The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers vs Houston Oilers Rivalry. That year, he took the opening kickoff of the opening game back for a TD against Tulsa. College Football: The 15 Most Electrifying Kick Returners of the Last We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. None of the members of this class will ever hear their names called in Canton, but as a group, and what they provided for the Titans, even though small in some cases, was a solid class top to bottom that played some excellent football and were part of some good, but not great Titans teams. He has been covering the NFL for various outlets since 2000. Another score against Missouri later that year gave Perkins the FBS single-season record for punt return TDs. By any measure, it was a near-perfect performance and the one incompletion was a dropped pass. 1 on that list? There have been some amazing kick and punt returns in football over the years, here are the best of the best. With the game still tied between these two top-10 teams, Cam Newton did what he did best in 2010, take over a game with a game changing play. He took a kickoff in his own end zone with 4:31 . Gordons incredible 408-yard performance through three quarters, no less against Nebraska was short-lived. Or write about sports? Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is open to the idea of incorporating Williams into a return role, and Williams himself has expressed . Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Doak Walker Award, AP and Sporting News Player of the Year. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. And that wasn't even the most impressive part of the return. As a senior in 1997, Rossum finished fourth nationally in kickoff-return average; as a junior he led the country in punt-return average. Record: 326 yardsRecord-holder: Nate Burleson, NevadaSeason: 2001. Over the past eight months, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has become the public face of a movement to eliminate the kickoff from college football. 1990. You should have watched the Ohio Stadium crowd any time Ted Ginn Jr. went back to field a kick. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. His 27.6 yards per kickoff and 13.6 yards per punt-return averages were solid but not eye-popping. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. The following is a list of the NFL career kickoff return leaders ranked by kickoff return touchdowns. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. Fipp said it sometimes makes more sense to use a complmentary player in a return role so they can devote more energy to the craft, and he cited former NFL receiver DeSean Jackson, who he coached with the Philadelphia Eagles, as an example. Why its untouchable: Insley, the NCAAs all-time receiving yards leader, managed just 574 yards as a freshman in 1996 before exploding for 4,431 yards and 30 touchdowns over his final three seasons. Spiller racked up 2,052 yards and seven touchdowns (an FBS record) on kickoff returns and added 569 yards and a score on punt returns for good measure. Dwight's style wasn't gracefulhe was reminiscent of one of those old NFL Films segments starring Crazy Legs Hirschbut he got where he needed to go in a hurry. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The truth is, Florida didnt have a second-team quarterback to relieve Reaves of his obvious tragic afternoon on the Plains and let the future first-round pick heave it 66 times during the game. Before there was Devin Hester, there was Dante Hall. So, Sanders' Heisman-winning season in '88 when he ran for 332 yards against Texas Tech, 320 yards against Kansas State, 312 yards against Kansas and 304 yards against Tulsa hasn't been matched by any other running back in their career, let alone a single season. Burleson's effort against San Jose State ranks tied for eighth all-time in single-game receiving yards and yet, he never made it to the end zone. One of the most controversial endings in college football history, Colorado scored a last second touchdown on the last play of the game on mistakenly-given . But we're putting these types of records off to the side, because they're unbreakable based on the size of the playing field and the rules of the game. Punts are a much, much less physical play.". ruled that the play should have been blown dead. Kick Six - Wikipedia 2022 The Game Before the Money All Rights Reserved. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said Williams is on par with Cleveland Browns receiver Jakeem Grant as the fastest player he's ever coached. Except C.J. The Detroit Lions are reportedly considering using wide receiver Jameson Williams as a returner for the 2023 NFL season. Brian Mitchell, the three-time All-Pro who, interestingly enough, never once returned a punt or kickoff in college. All rights reserved. His career punt-return average (23.2) ranks second all-time nationally. Twenty-six players have one, five players have two, and Patterson has seven, a total that accounts for. That season, he averaged 19.8 yards per kickoff return and scored three TDs on punt returns. Watch Newton go 49 yards against the LSU defense. The return went for 109 yards, setting a record for the longest play in NFL history. The return marked the longest punt return touchdown in NFL history. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Follow him on Twitter@davebirkett. So its always an accountability factor on both sides, but we expect big things from him.". As a senior, Keenum was spectacular, throwing 48. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Active players are listed in bold. But scan through the FBS record book and you'll find other records in the highest level of college football that are likely so untouchable either due to rule changes and the evolution of the game, or due to a flash of brilliance (or the opposite of brilliance) that we think they'll stand in the history books forever. "Obviously, it would be great to see him back there (as a returner) if thats what his role provides," Fipp said. It shouldn't include Jalen Ramsey. (Jones-Drew's 91-yard kickoff return TD in that same game was understandably overshadowed.). Their role on special teams is more influenced by offense and defense than it is on what he can do on teams.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Ten players have done that in NFL history. 'Be a gunner? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. For those that don't know, a kick return touchdown is when the kickoff retu. "The goal when we originally drafted him, we didnt know really how much we were going to get out of him but it was good to have him get some kind of game experience to kind of feel the speed of the game," Holmes said. He'd find the seam, hit the seam and just out-sprint the coverage like they were wearing snow shoes. Raymond Clayborn (3/1977), 3. You could still try to maintain possession of the ball. I think it would start the game in similar field position. Patterson somehow broke through the throng of tacklers and then it became a track meetand he won. Read more about our data coverage. In 1997 he totaled a Super Bowl-record 90 punt return yards and 154 kickoff return yards with one . He still showed game-breaking ability at times last season but had two punt return touchdowns wiped out due to penalties while averaging 8.8 yards on 13 attempts with a long of 19. The option to go for it would replace the onside kickoff. Jackson is a pending free agent, while Raymond is coming off the best season of his career. Join our linker program. Davis' record stretched across back-to-back games against Memphis and Navy (he completed his first 26 attempts against the Midshipmen), and given the number of passes Davis completed in a row, it would likely force a potential record-breaker to complete 37 or more passes against two different opponents, which means two different schemes and opposing rosters to diagnose and dominate. "Hes done it. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. As a West Coast resident and Pac-10 fan, I watched Reggie Bush do some incredible things. Stats: 2,854 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 1,473 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns, 42 receiving yards, receiving touchdown Newton got his one SEC chance after his troubled time. Who holds it: Connor Halliday, Washington State, 2014 Insane. Howard, the 1991 Heisman trophy winner, is the only return man to win the Super Bowl MVP. During the 2013 campaign at Washington State, Halliday also set a new NCAA record with 89 passing attempts at Oregon. Attaboy, Leach. Ill be a gunner. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. INDIANAPOLIS The Detroit Lions are making big plans to get more out of explosive wide receiver Jameson Williams next season, and that could include using him on returns. Keenum was granted a medical hardship in 2010 after tearing a knee ligament, but his five touchdowns over three games prior to injury count. The Minnesota Vikings receiver was literally as far back into the endzone as he could be on an NFL field when he received this kickoff against the Green Bay Packers. Kick return touchdown in the Super Bowldoes it get any more exciting than that? Recruited to play defensive back and run track, Ginn made an immediate impact with the ball, leading the nation in punt return average (25.6) as a freshman and scoring four touchdowns. "It's hard to ask a guy to do all those things at a really high level, and people dont realize that," Fipp said. The longtime NFL cornerback made everyone look like a fool on this play while he was playing with the Los Angeles Rams. Do you have a blog? Who holds it: David Klingler, Houston, 1991 Kickoff Return Touchdowns Single Season Leaders and Records | College CLICK HERE````````````````````````, Titans Looking To Evolve Analytically: Changes in how the Titans view things are coming. The following is a list of the NFL career punt return leaders ranked by punt return touchdowns. We do not target any individuals under the age of 21. Still, he has breakaway. You want to see over 100,000 people afraid to move? 1 spot on this list? UTEP has been on the wrong end of several FBS records former Houston quarterback Case Keenum holds the record for the most career passing yards gained against one opponent (1,882 yards against UTEP) and former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson has the record for career rushing yards against one opponent (788 yards against UTEP) but the Miners are also in the FBS record book for positive reasons, too. Most games scoring a touchdown, career. A kickoff return for a touchdown is one of the most exciting plays in football. The University of Miami alum was in his first season of the NFL, and he made the Rams pay for kicking him the ball. Baltimore Ravens ground game rules in NFL Week 11 and more As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. Why its untouchable: Klingler set several single-game and career passing records during his time at Houston (that were later broken), but this one could be his most notable. I mean, when you talk to him theres one thing I love about him. Raghib "Rocket" Ismail Holds Record for Most Games With Two Kickoff Returns for Touchdowns 20 college football teams we aren't sold on in 2023, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Mizzou shocks Tennessee, Alabama downs Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Alabama stays unbeaten in SEC play, Tennessee outlasts Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: A new top team emerges, Alabama loses in blowout fashion, Mizzou lights it up again. Keenum was granted a medical hardship in 2010 after tearing a knee ligament, but his five touchdowns over three games prior to injury count. He finished his college career ('03-05)averaging 25.5 yards per kickoff return and 15.6 per punt return, with six return touchdowns. The score set records for the longest kickoff return and longest play in Super Bowl history. Officially, Arizona States Terrell Suggs holds the NCAAs single-season record with 24 sacks in 2002. Who holds it: Trevor Insley, 1996-99 Why its untouchable: The NCAA didnt start collecting sacks as an official FBS statistic until 2000, but were putting Thomas insane number of 27 quarterback faceplants with the Crimson Tide in 1988 inside the Top 10. NFL Kick Returns for Touchdown Single Game Leaders Join our linker program. 46. The Game Before the Money Radio Showshared outstanding college football records. Only twice since the turn of the century has a team surpassed 30 or more straight wins USC and Miami. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hester may not be the fastest person to ever play football, but I don't think I've seen anybody run faster on a football field. Find out more. Single game leaders only reflect years for which we have complete boxscore data (1950 onward), all playoff games, and all 100 yard rushing/receiving or 300 yard passing games from 1940-1959. Missouri. Twenty-five players in college football history have run two kickoffs back for touchdowns in the same game. Here are seven FBS records that (we think) will never be broken. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Bears game on Sunday. Read more about our data coverage. Record: Four gamesRecord-holder: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma StateSeason: 1988. Those gargantuan numbers would only be approached within a pass-happy offense with literally two or fewer reliable targets. The score marked the first time an opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown in Super Bowl history. Brown probably wouldn't have become the first receiver to win the Heisman (1987) without his contributions on special teams. He made everybody miss twice against Michigan. Devin Hester (Miami) 11 of 15 Jamie. Why its untouchable: Coached by the legendary Bud Wilkinson, the Sooners won two national championships during their record-setting stretch in the mid 1950s. The record? For his career, he scored six times on kick returns. Well, in this case, its probably a good idea that Jones didnt listen to that advice. 44 touchdowns are tied with Kmic for the most ever and ahead of anyone else in NCAA history. Both of Ismails kickoffs returned for touchdowns were in the second half, the first coming on the second-half kickoff. Whether it was a kickoff or punt return, these players knew how to electrify a stadiumand avoid tacklers at all costs. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Interview quotes are usually edited for length and clarity. Ismail could dance away from contact when he had to, and he had the strength to break tackles, but his style was more like Eric Dickerson. The national leader in receiving yards per game during the 2020 season was Ole Miss' consensus All-American wide receiver Elijah Moore, who averaged 149.1 yards per game. Thomas is a member of both the College Football and NFL Hall of Fame. Some might argue how much of a hit Jones really was, but he produced on the field, and if he had spent his off-field time as efficiently, who knows where he might rank with the all-time greats of the game. As a junior in '86, Brown averaged 27.9 yards per kickoff return, including two touchdowns and 37.5 yards per punt return. An asterisk (*) after a player's name indicates bowl stats are included.Read more about our data coverage. Do you have a blog? All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. As a senior, Keenum was spectacular, throwing 48 touchdowns passes to just five interceptions a ratio of nearly 10:1.