Weekly records watch

From esteemed colleague Matt Dempsey:

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A big win over Virginia keeps Tech in the race for the ACC Coastal Division title. Plus big numbers from the big guns keeps them on the march to the record books. Let’s see how they stand with four more games to go.

Rushing Records

Most rushes in a season
Name Rushes Year
1. Tashard Choice 297 2006
2. P.J. Daniels 283 2003
3. Joe Burns 282 2001
4. Robert Lavette 280 1982
5. Eddie Lee Ivery 267 1978
6. Tashard Choice 261 2007
7. Robert Lavette 260 1984
8. Jerry Mays 249 1989
9. C.J. Williams 245 1995
10. Lenny Snow 202 1966
NR Josh Nesbitt 172 2009

With four games left to go, it’s hard to see how Nesbitt won’t end up in the top 10 for most rushes in a season. If he averages 24 carries a game the rest of the way, he’ll end up in the top five.

Most rushes, Career
Name Rushes Career
1. Robert Lavette 914 1981-84
2. P.J. Daniels 707 2002-05
3. Jerry Mays 695 1985-89
4. Tashard Choice 675 2005-07
5. Joe Burns 614 1998-01
6. Eddie Lee Ivery 609 1975-78
7. C.J. Williams 539 1994-95
8. Joe Hamilton 501 1996-99
9. Reggie Ball 495 2003-06
10. Lenny Snow 445 1965-67
12. Jonathan Dwyer 406 2007-
13. Josh Nesbitt 397 2007-

Nesbitt and Dwyer are still on pace for being in the top 10 on the career rushes list.
Dwyer needs 40 rushes in the next five games to unseat Lenny Snow from the top ten. Twenty two carries in the next four games will push Dwyer past Reggie Ball.

Rushing Yards, Season
Name Yards Year
1. Eddie Lee Ivery 1562 1978
2. Tashard Choice 1473 2006
3. P.J. Daniels 1447 2003
4. Jonathan Dwyer 1395 2008
5. Tashard Choice 1379 2007
6. Jerry Mays 1349 1989
7. Robert Lavette 1208 1982
8. Robert Lavette 1189 1984
9. Joe Burns 1165 2001
10. C.J. Williams 1138 2009
NR Jonathan Dwyer 718 2009
NR Josh Nesbitt 707 2009

Dwyer’s big game against Virginia makes his path to a second top 10 rushing season a bit easier. He’ll need about 105 yards a game for the rest of the season to unseat C.J. Williams and join Tashard Choice and Robert Lavette as the only players with two season in the top ten list.

Nesbitt was under the 103 yards a game average he needed to be in top 10 at season’s end. Eighty two yards isn’t bad though. He now needs 108 yards per game to finish the season in the top ten.

Rushing Yards, Career
Name Yards Career
1. Robert Lavette 4066 1981-84
2. Jerry Mays 3699 1985-89
3. Eddie Lee Ivery 3517 1975-78
4. Tashard Choice 3365 20005-07
5. P.J. Daniels 3346 2002-05
6. Joe Burns 2634 1998-01
7. Jonathan Dwyer 2549 2007-
8. C.J. Williams 2365 1994-96
9. David Sims 2274 1974-76
10. William Bell 2026 1989-93
15. Josh Nesbitt 1739 2007-

Dwyer is likely to pass Joe Burns for the #6 spot on the career rushing list with a good performance against Vanderbilt. Nesbitt just needs 288 yards to end up in the top ten. With 134 yards per game in the last four games he’ll be in the top nine. A tougher chore for sure.

Most rushing touchdowns, season
Name TD Year
1. Robert Lavette 19 1982
2. Robert Lavette 14 1984
2. Joe Burns 14 2001
4. Sean Gregory 13 1999
5. Jonathan Dwyer 12 2008
5. Tashard Choice 12 2006
5. Joe Burns 12 2000
5. C.J. Williams 12 1995
5. Lenny Snow 12 1966
10. Tony Hollings 11 2002
10 Josh Nesbitt 11 2009

Nesbitt’s two touchdowns against Virginia gave him a top 10 season for rushing touchdowns. Three more trips to the end zone will equal Dwyer’s touchdown total from last year. Five touchdowns in four games will land him in the top two.

Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career
Name TD Year
1. Robert Lavette 45 1981-84
2. Joe Burns 31 1998-01
3. Tashard Choice 28 2005-07
4. Jonathan Dwyer 26 2007-
5. P.J. Daniels 23 2002-05
6. Eddie Lee Ivery 22 1975-78
6. Leon Hardeman 22 1951-53
8. David Sims 21 1974-76
9. C.J. Williams 20 1994-96
10. Shawn Jones 19 1989-92
12 Josh Nesbitt 18 2007-

Dwyer needs two more touchdowns to join Tashard Choice, Joe Burns and Robert Lavette in the top three. The top two is in reach. Nesbitt should easily reach the top 10 and might reach the top 5. Five more times crossing the goal line will give him a top 5 career for rushing touchdowns.

Receiving Records

Pass Receptions, Career
Name Number Career
1. Kelly Campbell 195 1998-01
2. Calvin Johnson 178 2004-06
3. Jonathan Smith 174 2000-03
4. Kerry Watkins 171 1999-02
5. Harvey Middleton 165 1994-97
6. Will Glover 122 1999-02
7. Bobby Rodriguez 115 1989-92
7. Jerry Mays 115 1985-89
9. Robert Lavette 114 1981-84
10. John Sias 110 1966-68
11. Demaryius Thomas 104 2007-

Thomas now owns the 11th spot thanks to his three catches last Saturday.

Yards gained, Season
Name Yards Season
1. Calvin Johnson 1202 2006
2. Jonathan Smith 1138 2003
3. Kelly Campbell 1105 1999
4. Kerry Watkins 1050 2002
5. Dez White 973 1998
6. Kelly Campbell 963 2000
7. John Sias 902 1968
8. Calvin Johnson 888 2005
9. Dez White 860 1999
10. Harvey Middleton 839 1997
14 Demaryius Thomas 747 2009

If Thomas averages 23 yards a game the rest of the way, he’ll also end up in the top ten for most receiving yards in a season.

Yards gained, career
Name Yards Career
1. Calvin Johnson 2927 2004-06
2. Kelly Campbell 2907 1998-01
3. Kerry Watkins 2680 1999-02
4. Harvey Middleton 2291 1994-96
5. Jonathan Smith 2238 2000-03
6. Demaryius Thomas 1932 2007-

With four games to go, Thomas will need 77 yards a game the rest of the way to move up the Career Receiving Yards record and into the top five.

Defense Records

Sacks, Season

Name Number Year
1. Pat Swilling 15 1985
2. Coleman Rudolph 13 1991
3. Greg Gathers 13 2000
4. Marco Coleman 12.5 1990
5. Eric Henderson 11 2003
6. Marco Coleman 10 1991
7. Felipe Claybrooks 10 1998
7. Greg Gathers 10 2001
9. Coleman Rudolph 9.5 1992
10. Michael Johnson 9 2008
10. Jesse Tarplin 9 1998
10. Nick Rogers 9 2000
NR Derrick Morgan 8.5 2009

Derrick Morgan is quite close to entering the top ten for sacks in a season. One more sack in the next four games and he’ll be tied with Coleman Rudolph for the ninth spot.