East Carolina Pirates football statistical leaders

The East Carolina Pirates football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the East Carolina Pirates 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 Pirates represent East Carolina University in the NCAA Division I FBS American Conference.

East Carolina began competing in intercollegiate football in 1932. ^[2] However, these lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:

• Since 1932, 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. ^[3] The Pirates have played in eight bowl games since then, and will play in a ninth in 2022, allowing players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
• The recent decade has seen two players set NCAA records: Justin Hardy, who caught 387 passes, more than anyone in all of college football ever had, until fellow Pirate Zay Jones broke the record in 2016. ^[4] Jones also set the NCAA single-season record with 158 receptions, which is more than all but 2 other East Carolina receivers have ever had in their whole careers.
• Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA declared that the 2020 season would not be counted against the athletic eligibility of any football player, giving everyone who played in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
• Since 2018, players have been allowed to participate in as many as four games in a redshirt season; previously, playing in even one game "burned" the redshirt. ^[5] Since 2024, postseason games have not counted against the four-game limit. ^[6] These changes to redshirt rules have given very recent players several extra games to accumulate statistics.

The most recent East Carolina record books do not list a top 10 in all statistics, sometimes only listing a leader. These lists are updated through the end of the 2022 regular season.

Passing

Passing yards

Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Holton Ahlers 13,927 [7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Shane Carden 11,991 2012 2013 2014 3 David Garrard 9,029 1998 1999 2000 2001 4 James Pinkney 8,173 2003 2004 2005 2006 5 Marcus Crandell 7,198 1993 1994 1995 1996 6 Dominique Davis 7,192 2010 2011 7 Patrick Pinkney 6,980 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 8 Jeff Blake 5,133 1988 1989 1990 1991 9 Travis Hunter 3,928 1986 1987 1988 1989 10 Dan Gonzalez 3,868 1994 1995 1996 1997

Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Shane Carden 4,736 2014 2 Shane Carden 4,129 2013 3 Dominique Davis 3,967 2010 4 Holton Ahlers 3,708 [7] 2022 5 Holton Ahlers 3,387 2019 6 Dominique Davis 3,225 2011 7 Holton Ahlers 3,126 2021 8 Shane Carden 3,116 2012 9 Jeff Blake 3,073 1991 10 Patrick Pinkney 2,947 2009

Single game Rank Player Yards Year Opponent 1 Holton Ahlers 535 2019 Cincinnati 2 Holton Ahlers 498 2019 SMU 3 Shane Carden 480 2013 Tulane 4 Blake Kemp 465 2015 UCF Holton Ahlers 465 [8] 2022 South Florida 6 Holton Ahlers 449 2018 Memphis 7 Shane Carden 447 2013 Old Dominion 8 Shane Carden 445 2014 UConn 9 Shane Carden 439 2012 Marshall 10 Shane Carden 438 2014 North Carolina

Passing touchdowns

Career Rank Player TDs Years 1 Holton Ahlers 97 [7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Shane Carden 86 2012 2013 2014 3 Dominique Davis 62 2010 2011 4 David Garrard 60 1998 1999 2000 2001 5 Marcus Crandell 58 1993 1994 1995 1996 6 James Pinkney 46 2003 2004 2005 2006 7 Jeff Blake 43 1988 1989 1990 1991 8 Patrick Pinkney 39 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 9 Travis Hunter 32 1986 1987 1988 1989 10 Carl Summerell 26 1971 1972 1973

Single season Rank Player TDs Year 1 Dominique Davis 37 2010 2 Shane Carden 33 2013 3 Shane Carden 30 2014 4 Jeff Blake 28 1991 Holton Ahlers 28 [7] 2022 6 Dominique Davis 25 2011 7 Michael Anderson 23 1992 Shane Carden 23 2012 9 Marcus Crandell 21 1994 Holton Ahlers 21 2019

Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Holton Ahlers 6 2019 SMU Holton Ahlers 6 [8] 2022 South Florida 3 Dominique Davis 5 2010 Tulsa Dominique Davis 5 2010 Navy Dominique Davis 5 2010 UAB Shane Carden 5 2012 Memphis Shane Carden 5 2013 Old Dominion Shane Carden 5 2013 Tulsa Shane Carden 5 2013 UAB Philip Nelson 5 2016 Western Carolina Holton Ahlers 5 [9] 2022 Coastal Carolina Katin Houser 5 [10] 2024 Temple Katin Houser 5 [11] 2024 Florida Atlantic

Rushing

Rushing yards

Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Junior Smith 3,745 1991 1992 1993 1994 2 Rahjai Harris 3,092 [12] 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 3 Leonard Henry 3,089 1998 1999 2000 2001 4 Keaton Mitchell 3,027 [13] 2020 2021 2022 5 Chris Johnson 2,982 2004 2005 2006 2007 6 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 2,889 1971 1972 1973 7 Tony Baker 2,825 1982 1983 1984 1985 8 Theodore Sutton 2,730 1977 1978 1979 1980 9 Butch Colson 2,512 1967 1968 1969 10 Scott Harley 2,465 1995 1996 1997

Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Scott Harley 1,745 1996 2 Keaton (Deuce) Mitchell 1,452 [13] 2022 3 Leonard Henry 1,432 2001 4 Chris Johnson 1,423 2007 5 Junior Smith 1,352 1993 6 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 1,309 1972 7 Junior Smith 1,204 1993 8 Vintavious Cooper 1,193 2013 9 Dominique Lindsay 1,180 2009 10 Rahjai Harris 1,166 [12] 2024

Single game Rank Player Yards Year Opponent 1 Scott Harley 351 1996 NC State 2 Chris Johnson 301 2007 Memphis 3 Scott Harley 291 1996 South Carolina 4 Junior Smith 282 1993 Tulsa 5 Billy Wightman 245 1969 Davidson 6 Leonard Henry 234 2001 Cincinnati 7 Junior Smith 232 1992 Arkansas State 8 Chris Johnson 223 2007 Boise State 9 Keaton Mitchell 222 2021 Tulane Keaton Mitchell 222 [14] 2022 Temple

Rushing touchdowns

Career Rank Player TDs Years 1 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 37 1971 1972 1973 2 Chris Johnson 32 2004 2005 2006 2007 3 Junior Smith 27 1991 1992 1993 1994 Leonard Henry 29 1998 1999 2000 2001 Rahjai Harris 29 [12] 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 6 Butch Colson 27 1967 1968 1969 7 Tony Collins 26 1977 1978 1979 1980 8 Holton Ahlers 25 [7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Keaton Mitchell 25 [13] 2020 2021 2022 10 Ken Strayhorn 24 1972 1973 1974 1975 Shane Carden 24 2012 2013 2014

Single season Rank Player TDs Year 1 Dave Alexander 17 1965 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 17 1972 Chris Johnson 17 2007 4 Leonard Henry 16 2001 5 Butch Colson 15 1967 6 Tony Collins 14 1979 Art Brown 14 2002 Keaton Mitchell 14 [13] 2022 9 Vintavious Cooper 13 2013 10 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 12 1973 Leander Green 12 1979

Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Scott Harley 6 1996 Ohio

Receiving

Receptions

Career Rank Player Catches Years 1 Zay Jones 399 2013 2014 2015 2016 2 Justin Hardy 387 2011 2012 2013 2014 3 Dwayne Harris 268 2007 2008 2009 2010 4 Tyler Snead 201 2018 2019 2020 2021 5 C. J. Johnson 175 [15] 2019 2020 2021 2022 6 Jason Nichols 152 1994 1995 1996 1997 7 Lance Lewis 149 2010 2011 8 Aundrae Allison 145 2005 2006 9 Terrance Copper 139 2000 2001 2002 2003 10 Mitchell Galloway 131 1993 1994 1995 1996

Single season Rank Player Catches Year 1 Zay Jones 158 2016 2 Justin Hardy 121 2014 3 Justin Hardy 114 2013 4 Dwayne Harris 101 2010 5 Zay Jones 98 2015 6 Lance Lewis 89 2010 7 Justin Hardy 88 2012 Isaiah Winstead 88 [16] 2022 9 Terrance Copper 87 2003 10 Aundrae Allison 83 2005 Dwayne Harris 83 2009

Single game Rank Player Catches Year Opponent 1 Zay Jones 22 2016 South Carolina 2 Zay Jones 19 2016 Connecticut Tyler Snead 19 2019 SMU 4 Zay Jones 18 2016 South Florida 5 Justin Hardy 17 2013 Tulane Zay Jones 17 2016 UCF 7 Justin Hardy 16 2012 Marshall Justin Hardy 16 2013 Old Dominion Tyler Snead 16 2019 UConn Tyler Snead 16 2020 Tulsa

Receiving yards

Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Justin Hardy 4,541 2011 2012 2013 2014 2 Zay Jones 4,279 2013 2014 2015 2016 3 Dwayne Harris 3,001 2007 2008 2009 2010 4 C. J. Johnson 2,849 [15] 2019 2020 2021 2022 5 Tyler Snead 2,374 2018 2019 2020 2021 6 Troy Smith 1,982 1995 1996 1997 1998 7 Mitchell Galloway 1,754 1993 1994 1995 1996 8 Aundrae Allison 1,723 2005 2006 9 Jimmy Williams 1,722 2013 2017 10 Larry Shannon 1,714 1994 1995 1996 1997

Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Zay Jones 1,746 2016 2 Justin Hardy 1,284 2013 3 Dwayne Harris 1,123 2010 4 Lance Lewis 1,116 2010 5 Justin Hardy 1,105 2012 6 Zay Jones 1,099 2015 7 Isaiah Winstead 1,085 [16] 2022 8 Aundrae Allison 1,024 2005 9 C. J. Johnson 1,016 [15] 2022 10 Dwayne Harris 978 2009

Single game Rank Player Yards Year Opponent 1 C.J. Johnson 283 2019 Cincinnati 2 Tyler Snead 240 2019 SMU 3 Terry Gallaher 218 1975 Appalachian State 4 Zay Jones 212 2016 Navy 5 Zay Jones 206 2016 Tulsa 6 C.J. Johnson 197 [8] 2022 South Florida 7 Justin Hardy 191 2013 Old Dominion 8 Zay Jones 190 2016 South Carolina 9 Justin Hardy 188 2014 Cincinnati 10 Justin Hardy 186 2014 UConn

Receiving touchdowns

Career Rank Player TDs Years 1 Justin Hardy 35 2011 2012 2013 2014 2 Zay Jones 23 2013 2014 2015 2016 3 Lance Lewis 22 2010 2011 4 Larry Shannon 21 1994 1995 1996 1997 C.J. Johnson 21 [15] 2019 2020 2021 2022 6 Dwayne Harris 20 2007 2008 2009 2010 7 Tyler Snead 18 2018 2019 2020 2021 8 Clayton Driver 17 1989 1990 1991 1992 9 Walter Wilson 16 1986 1987 1988 1989 10 LaMont Chappell 13 1996 1997 1998 1999 Terry Gallaher 13 1975 1976 1977 1978

Single season Rank Player TDs Year 1 Lance Lewis 14 2010

Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Walter Wilson 4 1989 Pittsburgh C.J. Johnson 4 [8] 2022 South Florida

Total offense

Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns. ^[17]

Total offense yards

Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Holton Ahlers 15,373 [7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Shane Carden 12,244 2011 2012 2013 2014 3 David Garrard 10,238 1998 1999 2000 2001 4 James Pinkney 8,563 2003 2004 2005 2006 5 Marcus Crandell 7,641 1993 1994 1995 1996 6 Dominique Davis 7,505 2010 2011 7 Patrick Pinkney 7,417 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 8 Jeff Blake 5,618 1988 1989 1990 1991 9 Travis Hunter 5,196 1986 1987 1988 1989 10 Bill Cline 3,883 1962 1963 1964

Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Shane Carden 4,812 2014 2 Shane Carden 4,242 2013 3 Dominique Davis 4,108 2010 4 Holton Ahlers 3,890 [7] 2022 5 Holton Ahlers 3,746 2019 6 Dominique Davis 3,397 2011 7 Holton Ahlers 3,330 2021 8 Shane Carden 3,190 2012 9 Jeff Blake 3,182 1991 10 Patrick Pinkney 3,028 2009

Single game Rank Player Yards Year Opponent 1 Holton Ahlers 556 2019 Cincinnati 2 Holton Ahlers 523 2019 SMU 3 Holton Ahlers 506 2018 Memphis 4 Shane Carden 477 2014 UConn 5 Holton Ahlers 474 [8] 2022 South Florida 6 Blake Kemp 468 2015 UCF 7 Shane Carden 457 2014 SMU 8 Shane Carden 455 2013 Tulane 9 Marcus Crandell 453 1995 Syracuse Holton Ahlers 453 1995 Navy

Touchdowns responsible for

"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns. ^[18]

Career Rank Player TDs Years 1 Holton Ahlers 122 [7] 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2 Shane Carden 110 2011 2012 2013 2014 3 David Garrard 81 1998 1999 2000 2001 4 Dominique Davis 76 2010 2011 5 Marcus Crandell 65 1993 1994 1995 1996 6 James Pinkney 57 2003 2004 2005 2006 7 Jeff Blake 51 1988 1989 1990 1991 8 Travis Hunter 47 1986 1987 1988 1989 9 Patrick Pinkney 44 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 10 Carlester Crumpler Sr. 37 1971 1972 1973

Single season Rank Player TDs Year 1 Dominique Davis 46 2010 2 Shane Carden 43 2013 3 Shane Carden 36 2014 4 Holton Ahlers 34 [7] 2022 5 Jeff Blake 31 1991 Shane Carden 31 2012 7 Dominique Davis 30 2011

Single game Rank Player TDs Year Opponent 1 Shane Carden 7 2013 Tulsa

Defense

The East Carolina media guides and record books have historically listed only the top performers in most defensive statistics, rather than a top 10. However, the 2022 record book lists a full top 10 in career tackles.

Interceptions

Career Rank Player Ints Years 1 Jim Bolding 22 1973 1974 1975 1976

Single season Rank Player Ints Year 1 Jim Bolding 10 1975

Single game Rank Player Ints Year Opponent 1 10 times 3 Most recent: Greg Grandison, 1991 vs. UCF

Tackles

Career Rank Player Tackles Years 1 Harold Randolph 493 1974 1975 1976 1977

Single season Rank Player Tackles Year 1 Jeffrey Warren 184 1980

Single game Rank Player Tackles Year Opponent 1 Pernell Griffin 24 2001 Wake Forest Chris Moore 24 2003 Cincinnati

Sacks

Career Rank Player Sacks Years 1 Roderick Coleman 39.0 1995 1996 1997 1998

Single season Rank Player Sacks Year 1 Roderick Coleman 15.0 1997

Single game Rank Player Sacks Year Opponent 1 Roderick Coleman 4.0 1997 Wake Forest Montese Overton 4.0 2015 SMU

Kicking

Field goals made

Career Rank Player FGs Years 1 Jake Verity 74 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2 Ben Hartman 59 2006 2007 2008 2009 3 Jeff Heath 53 1982 1983 1984 1985 4 Kevin Miller 52 1999 2000 2001 2002

Single season Rank Player FGs Year 1 Jake Verity 24 2019 2 Ben Hartman 21 2008

Single game Rank Player FGs Year Opponent 1 Andrew Conrad 5 [19] 2023 Florida Atlantic 2 11 times 4 Most recent: Jake Verity, 2019 vs. William & Mary

Field goal percentage

Minimum of 30 attempts for career leadership, and 15 for single-season leadership.

Career Rank Player FG% Years 1 Michael Barbour 80.0% 2010 2011

Single season Rank Player FG% Year 1 Jake Verity 90.5% 2019

References

1. "2022 ECU Football Record Book" (PDF). East Carolina Pirates. August 31, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
2. "2015 East Carolina Football Media Guide" (PDF). ECUPirates.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
3. "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
4. Maiman, Beth (November 19, 2016). "East Carolina football: WR Zay Jones breaks FBS record for career catches". NCAA.com.
5. "DI football to offer more participation opportunities" (Press release). NCAA. June 13, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
6. "DI football oversight committees propose one transfer window" (Press release). NCAA. August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
7. "Holton Ahlers". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
8. "East Carolina vs. South Florida Box Score". ESPN.com. October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
9. "Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina Box Score". ESPN.com. December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
10. "Temple vs. East Carolina Box Score". ESPN.com. October 26, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
11. "East Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic Box Score". ESPN.com. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
12. "Rahjai Harris". ESPN.com.
13. "Keaton Mitchell". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
14. "Box Score: East Carolina Pirates vs. Temple Owls". ESPN.com. November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
15. "C.J. Johnson". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
16. "Isaiah Winstead". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
17. "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. p. 9. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
18. "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. p. 12. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
19. "East Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic Box Score". ESPN.com. November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.