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 2025 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
Katin Houser
5,306[ 8]
2024 2025
9
Jeff Blake
5,133
1988 1989 1990 1991
10
Travis Hunter
3,928
1986 1987 1988 1989
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
Katin Houser
3,300[ 8]
2025
7
Dominique Davis
3,225
2011
8
Holton Ahlers
3,126
2021
9
Shane Carden
3,116
2012
10
Jeff Blake
3,073
1991
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career
Rank
Player
Yards
Years
1
Junior Smith
3,745
1991 1992 1993 1994
2
Rahjai Harris
3,092[ 13]
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
3
Leonard Henry
3,089
1998 1999 2000 2001
4
Keaton Mitchell
3,027[ 14]
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[ 14]
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[ 13]
2024
Rushing touchdowns
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[ 14]
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
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[ 16]
2019 2020 2021 2022
5
Tyler Snead
2,374
2018 2019 2020 2021
6
Troy Smith
1,982
1995 1996 1997 1998
7
Anthony Smith
1,852[ 18]
2024 2025
8
Mitchell Galloway
1,754
1993 1994 1995 1996
9
Aundrae Allison
1,723
2005 2006
10
Jimmy Williams
1,722
2013 2017
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[ 17]
2022
8
Anthony Smith
1,053[ 18]
2025
9
Aundrae Allison
1,024
2005
10
C. J. Johnson
1,016[ 16]
2022
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[ 19]
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
Katin Houser
5,669 [ 8]
2024 2025
9
Jeff Blake
5,618
1988 1989 1990 1991
10
Travis Hunter
5,196
1986 1987 1988 1989
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
Katin Houser
3,493 [ 8]
2025
7
Dominique Davis
3,397
2011
8
Holton Ahlers
3,330
2021
9
Shane Carden
3,190
2012
10
Jeff Blake
3,182
1991
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[ 20]
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
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
Kicking
Field goals made
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[ 21]
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
^ "2022 ECU Football Record Book" (PDF) . East Carolina Pirates. August 31, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022 .
^ a b "2015 East Carolina Football Media Guide" (PDF) . ECUPirates.com . Archived from the original (PDF) on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015 .
^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014 .
^ Maiman, Beth (November 19, 2016). "East Carolina football: WR Zay Jones breaks FBS record for career catches" . NCAA.com .
^ "DI football to offer more participation opportunities" (Press release). NCAA. June 13, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018 .
^ "DI football oversight committees propose one transfer window" (Press release). NCAA. August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i "Holton Ahlers" . ESPN.com . Retrieved November 26, 2022 .
^ a b c d e f "Katin Houser" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d e "East Carolina vs. South Florida Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022 .
^ "Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina Box Score" . ESPN.com . December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022 .
^ "Temple vs. East Carolina Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 26, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2024 .
^ "East Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024 .
^ a b c "Rahjai Harris" . ESPN.com .
^ a b c d "Keaton Mitchell" . ESPN.com . Retrieved November 26, 2022 .
^ "Box Score: East Carolina Pirates vs. Temple Owls" . ESPN.com . November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022 .
^ a b c d "C.J. Johnson" . ESPN.com . Retrieved November 26, 2022 .
^ a b "Isaiah Winstead" . ESPN.com . Retrieved November 26, 2022 .
^ a b c "Anthony Smith" . ESPN.com .
^ "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 .
^ "East Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic Box Score" . ESPN.com . November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 .
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