Putting Up Numbers· college football

Pittsburgh’s best running backs

Tony Dorsett has the most rushing yards in Pittsburgh history, 6,526 from 1973 to 1976. Since 2004, James Conner has the most, 3,733 in 39 games.

Of the ACC’s best running backs since 2004, James Conner is 7th.

Of the Big East’s best running backs since 2004, Ray Graham is 6th, Dion Lewis 9th and LeSean McCoy 10th.

Next: Florida State at Pittsburgh, Sat, Nov 14 · analysis

Pittsburgh’s running backs this season

By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2004–09

rushing yards in Pittsburgh history

  1. 1Tony Dorsett1973 – 19766,526
  2. 2James Conner2013 – 20163,733
  3. 3Ray Graham2009 – 20123,271
  4. 4Curvin Richards1988 – 19903,192
  5. 5Craig Heyward1984 – 19873,086
  6. 6Dion Lewis2009 – 20102,860
  7. 7Qadree Ollison2015 – 20182,859
  8. 8LeSean McCoy2007 – 20082,816
  9. 9Billy West1993 – 19972,803
  10. 10Elliott Walker1974 – 19772,748

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

Pittsburgh’s best running backs
PlacePlayerrushing yardsrushing touchdownsyards from scrimmage
1James Conner2013 – 2016 · 39 games3,733524,145
2Ray Graham2009 – 2012 · 45 games3,271324,070
3Dion Lewis2009 – 2010 · 25 games2,860303,265
4Qadree Ollison2015 – 2018 · 48 games2,859293,234
5LeSean McCoy2007 – 2008 · 25 games2,816353,365
6Darrin Hall2015 – 2018 · 45 games2,189212,456
7Israel Abanikanda2020 – 2022 · 30 games2,177282,531
8LaRod Stephens-Howling2005 – 2008 · 42 games1,959152,413
9Vincent Davis Jr.2019 – 2022 · 46 games1,813162,226
10Rodney Hammond Jr.2021 – 2024 · 35 games1,554141,754
11Isaac Bennett2011 – 2014 · 37 games1,447141,796
12Desmond Reid2024 – 2025 · 18 games1,24472,140
13A.J. Davis2017 – 2021 · 33 games99171,345
14Raymond Kirkley Jr.2004 – 2005 · 18 games91171,146
15Ja'Kyrian Turner2025 – 2026 · still playing87681,130
+131 this season
16Chris James2014 – 2015 · 22 games6904761
17Damon Ferguson Jr.2026 · still playing6626775
+662 this season
18Rushel Shell2012 · 12 games6414744
19C'Bo Flemister2022 – 2023 · 21 games5884694
20Daniel Carter2020 – 2024 · 35 games47910535
21Tim Murphy2004 – 2005 · 19 games4522702
22Rashad Jennings2005 · 8 games4111446
23Rachid Ibrahim2013 – 2016 · 23 games3990560
24Chawntez Moss2016 – 2017 · 12 games3433432
25Zach Brown2011 · 9 games3365520

rushing yards by decade

2020s

  1. Israel Abanikanda2020 – 2022 · 30 games2,177
  2. Rodney Hammond Jr.2021 – 2024 · 35 games1,554
  3. Vincent Davis Jr.2020 – 2022 · 35 games1,499
  4. Desmond Reid2024 – 2025 · 18 games1,244
  5. › Ja'Kyrian Turner2025 – 2026 · 15 games876

2010s

  1. James Conner2013 – 2016 · 39 games3,733
  2. Ray Graham2010 – 2012 · 32 games2,922
  3. Qadree Ollison2015 – 2018 · 48 games2,859
  4. Darrin Hall2015 – 2018 · 45 games2,189
  5. Isaac Bennett2011 – 2014 · 37 games1,447

2004–09

  1. LeSean McCoy2007 – 2008 · 25 games2,816
  2. LaRod Stephens-Howling2005 – 2008 · 42 games1,959
  3. Dion Lewis2009 · 13 games1,799
  4. Raymond Kirkley Jr.2004 – 2005 · 18 games911
  5. Tim Murphy2004 – 2005 · 19 games452

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

Read next

Method

  • Every running back who played at Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh before then isn't here.
  • A decade counts his rushing yards at Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh is counted at tonight's numbers against the record book's, which run through the 2025 season.