Putting Up Numbers· college football

Nevada’s best running backs

Frank Hawkins has the most rushing yards in Nevada history, 5,333 from 1977 to 1980. Since 2004, Vai Taua has the most, 4,588 in 41 games.

Of the Mountain West’s best running backs since 2004, Toa Taua is 5th.

Of the WAC’s best running backs since 2004, Vai Taua is 1st and Luke Lippincott 8th.

Next: New Mexico at Nevada, Fri, Nov 6 · analysis

Nevada’s running backs this season

By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2004–09

rushing yards in Nevada history

  1. 1Frank Hawkins1977 – 19805,333
  2. 2Vai Taua2007 – 20104,588
  3. 3Charvez Foger1985 – 19884,484
  4. 4Chris Lemon1996 – 19994,246
  5. 5Colin Kaepernick2007 – 20104,112
  6. 6Toa Taua2018 – 20223,997
  7. 7Chance Kretschmer2001 – 20043,782
  8. 8Cody Fajardo2011 – 20143,482
  9. 9James Butler2014 – 20163,316
  10. 10Luke Lippincott2006 – 20093,014

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), through the 2025 season, which counts bowl games from 2002.

Compare with in · side by side

Every running back since 2004

Nevada’s best running backs
PlacePlayerrushing yardsrushing touchdownsyards from scrimmage
1Vai Taua2007 – 2010 · 41 games4,588455,159
2Toa Taua2018 – 2022 · 59 games3,997335,189
3James Butler2014 – 2016 · 38 games3,316273,754
4Luke Lippincott2006 – 2009 · 35 games2,926343,392
5Don Jackson2013 – 2015 · 35 games2,367192,636
6Stefphon Jefferson2010 – 2012 · 25 games2,338302,556
7Lampford Mark2008 – 2011 · 30 games1,882161,929
8B.J. Mitchell2004 – 2005 · 22 games1,849191,878
9Robert Hubbard2005 – 2006 · 23 games1,685172,030
10Devonte Lee2018 – 2022 · 50 games1,486261,819
11Kelton Moore2016 – 2019 · 35 games1,424101,746
12Mike Ball2009 – 2011 · 30 games1,183121,299
13Jaxson Kincaide2016 – 2019 · 37 games89461,210
14Herschel Turner2025 – 2026 · still playing8614991
+508 this season
15Courtney Randall2007 – 2010 · 33 games82310849
16Chance Kretschmer2004 · 11 games8137881
17Caleb Ramseur2024 – 2025 · 19 games79351,090
18Brandon Fragger2006 – 2009 · 22 games7184861
19Sean Dollars2023 – 2024 · 21 games6926843
20Savion Red2024 · 12 games6878761
21Dominic Kelley2025 – 2026 · still playing6426766
+588 this season
22Nick Hale2010 – 2012 · 20 games4302500
23Drew Robinson2004 · 9 games3225355
24Chris Solomon2013 · 10 games2821361
25Patrick Garwo III2024 · 9 games2465294

rushing yards by decade

2020s

  1. Toa Taua2020 – 2022 · 33 games2,318
  2. Devonte Lee2020 – 2022 · 30 games991
  3. › Herschel Turner2025 – 2026 · 18 games861
  4. Caleb Ramseur2024 – 2025 · 19 games793
  5. Sean Dollars2023 – 2024 · 21 games692

2010s

  1. James Butler2014 – 2016 · 38 games3,316
  2. Don Jackson2013 – 2015 · 35 games2,367
  3. Stefphon Jefferson2010 – 2012 · 25 games2,338
  4. Toa Taua2018 – 2019 · 26 games1,679
  5. Vai Taua2010 · 13 games1,610

2004–09

  1. Vai Taua2007 – 2009 · 28 games2,978
  2. Luke Lippincott2006 – 2009 · 35 games2,926
  3. B.J. Mitchell2004 – 2005 · 22 games1,849
  4. Robert Hubbard2005 – 2006 · 23 games1,685
  5. Chance Kretschmer2004 · 11 games813

Also at Nevada: quarterbacks · wide receivers · tight ends · defenders · kickers · punters · Nevada record book

Read next

Method

  • Every running back who played at Nevada since 2004, ranked by rushing yards over his games there. Bowl and playoff games count.
  • The numbers here start in 2004, so a running back who played at Nevada before then isn't here.
  • A decade counts his rushing yards at Nevada in its seasons.
  • The record book's numbers are the school's own. Where they and the box scores differ for one player, the box scores are missing a game or count bowls another way.
  • A running back still playing at Nevada is counted at tonight's numbers against the record book's, which run through the 2025 season.