Punt Return Records

Updated as of 11/04/06

Season Punt Return Average (Min. 6 Returns)

Average Returns Yards TD Player Season
21.4 7 150 1 Don Jonas 1960
19.2 23 442 1 Gary Hayman 1973
17.5 13 228 1 Lenny Moore 1953
17.0 35 396 - Shorty Miller 1912
16.1 12 193 0 Ron Younker 1954
16.0 14 224 0 Bob Pollard 1951
15.7 6 94 0 Dick Hoak 1959
15.2 13 197 1 Matt Suhey 1978
14.6 19 278 1 O.J. McDuffie 1989
14.2 11 156 1 Mike Irwin 1965


Career Punt Return Average (Min. 15 Returns)

Average Returns Yards TD Player Career
17.6 16 281 0 Ron Younker 1953-54
16.5 17 280 1 Wally Triplett 1946-48
15.9 17 271 2 Don Jonas 1958-61
15.8 24 378 1 Lenny Moore 1953-55
15.3 15 229 0 Dick Hoak 1958-60
14.0 24 337 1 Mike Archie 1992-95
13.7 18 247 2 Jimmy Cefalo 1974-77
13.2 47 619 2 Dennis Onkotz 1967-69
13.0 23 300 1 Joe Vargo 1963-64
12.8 56 717 2 Gary Hayman 1972-73


Longest Punt Returns

Yards Player/Game Season
100 Jim Boring vs. Johns Hopkins 1933
92 Mark Robinson vs. Rutgers 1982
90 Bruce Branch vs. Indiana 1999
85 Wally Triplett vs. West Virginia 1948
85 Mike Guman at West Virginia 1978
84 O.J. McDuffie at Syracuse 1989
83 Gary Hayman vs. N.C. State 1973
81 Bryant Johnson vs. Michigan State 2002
80 Fritz Andrews vs. Lehigh 1935
80 Bill Luther vs. Syracuse 1949


Punt Returns

  Punt Returns Player Season(s)
Game 9 Bruce Branch at Illinois 1999
Season 41 Bruce Branch 1998 & 1999
Season 41 Bryant Johnson 2002
Career 109 Bruce Branch 1998-2001


Punt Return Yardage

  Yards Player Season(s)
Game 145 Matt Suhey vs. N.C. State 1978
Season 528 Bryant Johnson 2002
Career *1171 Bruce Branch 1998-2001
* Big Ten Record


Punt Return Average Yardage

  Average Player Season(s)
Game 29.0 Matt Suhey vs. N.C. State 1978
Season 21.4 Don Jonas 1960
Career 17.6 Ron Younker 1953-54


Punt Return for Touchdown

  TDs Player Season(s)
Game 1 1, by many players (Last: B. Johnson vs. Michigan St.) 2002
Season 2 Jimmy Cefalo 1977
Season 2 O.J. McDuffie 1991
Season 2 Bruce Branch 1999
Career 4 Bruce Branch 1998-2001


Season Leaders

Season Player Returns Yards Average TD
1946 Robert Williams 16 164 10.3 0
1947 Robert Williams 20 214 10.7 0
1948 Elwood Petchel 14 144 10.3 0
1949 Bill Luther 18 224 16.0 1
1950 George Jacob 8 51 6.4 0
1951 Bob Pollard 14 224 16.0 1
1952 Don Bailey 16 213 13.3 0
1953 Lenny Moore 4 45 11.3 0
1954 Ron Younker 12 193 16.1 0
1955 Lenny Moore 4 45 11.3 0
1956 Billy Kane 15 135 9.0 0
1957 Dave Kasperian 6 62 10.3 0
1958 Dick Hoak 9 135 15.0 0
1959 Dick Hoak 6 94 15.7 0
1960 Don Jonas 7 150 21.4 1
1961 Al Gursky 5 49 9.8 0
1962 Junior Powell 5 33 6.6 0
1963 Junior Powell 18 222 12.3 0
1964 Joe Vargo 19 233 12.3 1
1965 Mike Irwin 11 156 14.2 1
1966 Mike Irwin 11 112 10.2 0
1967 Dennis Onkotz 5 86 17.2 1
1968 Dennis Onkotz 18 208 11.6 0
1969 Dennis Onkotz 24 325 13.5 1
1970 Mike Smith 21 200 9.5 1
1971 John Cappelletti 28 274 9.8 0
1972 Gary Hayman 33 275 8.3 1
1973 Gary Hayman 23 442 19.2 1
1974 Jim Eaise 27 187 6.9 0
1975 Gary Petercuskie 11 81 7.4 0
1976 Rich Mauti 17 208 12.2 0
1977 Jimmy Cefalo 18 247 13.7 2
1978 Matt Suhey 13 197 15.2 1
1979 Mike Guman 14 102 7.3 0
1980 Kevin Baugh 5 88 17.6 1
1981 Kevin Baugh 10 101 10.1 0
1982 Kevin Baugh 29 315 10.8 0
1983 Kevin Baugh 18 167 9.3 0
1984 Kevin Woods 13 77 6.8 0
1985 Michael Timpson 13 164 12.6 0
1986 Jim Coates 36 309 8.6 0
1987 Michael Timpson 15 162 10.8 1
1988 Michael Timpson 16 162 10.1 1
1989 O.J. McDuffie 19 278 14.6 1
1990 Tisen Thomas 29 380 13.1 0
1991 O.J. McDuffie 33 358 10.8 2
1992 O.J. McDuffie 30 398 13.3 0
1993 Bobby Engram 33 402 12.2 0
1994 Mike Archie 11 126 11.5 0
1995 Bobby Engram 19 187 9.8 0
1996 Chris Campbell 24 242 10.1 1
1997 Chris Eberly 25 176 7.0 0
1998 Bruce Branch 41 446 10.9 1
1999 Bruce Branch 41 464 11.3 2
2000 Rod Perry 14 65 4.6 0
2001 Bruce Branch 22 245 11.1 1
2002 Bryant Johnson 41 528 12.9 1
2003 Calvin Lowry 26 240 9.2 0
2004 Calvin Lowry 28 232 8.3 0
2005 Calvin Lowry 32 340 10.6 0
2006 Derrick Williams 17 169 9.9 0