Kansas Jayhawks Football: Top Sixteen All-Time in Rushing Yards
By Joel Wagler
Kansas Jayhawks All-Time Rushing Yards Leaders Number Seven: John Riggins
Who would have suspected that a kid from Centralia, Kansas would translate a good, solid college career into a Hall of Fame pro career?
John Riggins is one of the most famous players to ever don the Crimson and Blue. He displayed many of the qualities in his three seasons for the Kansas Jayhawks as he did for the New York Jets and the Washinton Redskins.
- Rushing Yards – 2,659
- Carries – 518
- Rushing Touchdowns – 19
- Yards per Cary – 5.1
- Total Yards from Scrimmage – 2,726
- Total Touchdowns – 21
Riggins mashed out 866 yards on just 139 carries in his first season for Kansas. That 6.2 average was good for second in the Big Eight Conference and eighth in the nation.
In his final campaign, he led the Big 8 in carries (209) and yards (1,131).
It was as a pro that Riggins made his mark. While he only had a modest five season with more than 1,000 yards, and he appeared in only one Pro Bowl game, and made just one All-Pro team, his mantle is loaded with other awards.
He was the 1978 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and the 1982 Super Bowl MVP.
He accumulated 11,352 yards rushing, 104 rushing touchdowns, had 250 receptions for 2,090 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1983 (24) and 1984 (14).
He excelled in post-season play, though. In nine playoff and Super Bowl games, he totaled 996 yards on 251 carries, with 12 touchdowns. In four post-season games in 1982, he carried the ball an amazing 136 times for 610 yards and four touchdowns. He had six touchdowns in three playoff games in 1983.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
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