Western Michigan’s best running backs
Jarvion Franklin has the most rushing yards in Western Michigan history, 4,867 from 2014 to 2017. Jalen Buckley is 4th, with 3,427; 245 more passes Brandon West for 3rd.
Of the MAC’s best running backs since 2004, Jarvion Franklin is 3rd.
Western Michigan’s running backs this season
- Jalen Buckley9 games, 79.0 a game3,427 at Western Michigan, the 6th-most in school history. 245 more puts him past Brandon West for 5th.711rushing yards
- Lolo Mataele8 games, 28.9 a game483 at Western Michigan.231rushing yards
- Cole Cabana6 games, 21.7 a game148 at Western Michigan.130rushing yards
By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2004–09
rushing yards in Western Michigan history
- 1Jarvion Franklin2014 – 20174,867
- 2Robert Sanford1997 – 20004,219
- 3Jerome Persell1976 – 19784,190
- 4LeVante Bellamy2015 – 20193,720
- 5Brandon West2006 – 20093,671
- 6Shawn Faulkner1980 – 19833,341
- 7Jim Vackaro1992 – 19953,045
- 8Sean Tyler2019 – 20222,830
- 9Jalen Buckley2022 – 20252,716
- 10Bobby Howard1977 – 19802,608
Jalen Buckley is 6th in school history at tonight’s number, with 3,427; 245 more passes Brandon West for 5th.
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
| Place | Player | rushing yards | rushing touchdowns | yards from scrimmage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jarvion Franklin2014 – 2017 · 52 games | 4,867 | 52 | 5,542 |
| 2 | LeVante Bellamy2015 – 2019 · 48 games | 3,720 | 35 | 4,090 |
| 3 | Brandon West2006 – 2009 · 49 games | 3,671 | 25 | 4,629 |
| 4 | Jalen Buckley2022 – 2026 · still playing | 3,427 | 36 | 3,868 |
| +711 this season · passes Brandon West for 3rd in 4 games at his pace | ||||
| 5 | Jamauri Bogan2015 – 2018 · 46 games | 3,327 | 43 | 3,425 |
| 6 | Sean Tyler2019 – 2022 · 42 games | 2,830 | 23 | 3,168 |
| 7 | Mark Bonds2004 – 2007 · 42 games | 2,453 | 19 | 2,720 |
| 8 | Dareyon Chance2010 – 2014 · 46 games | 2,179 | 10 | 2,488 |
| T9 | Trovon Riley2004 – 2005 · 19 games | 1,695 | 10 | 1,981 |
| T9 | La'Darius Jefferson2020 – 2022 · 25 games | 1,695 | 20 | 1,805 |
| 11 | Brian Fields2010 – 2013 · 42 games | 1,568 | 13 | 1,970 |
| 12 | Zahir Abdus-Salaam2021 – 2024 · 45 games | 1,260 | 8 | 1,565 |
| 13 | Tevin Drake2010 – 2012 · 20 games | 1,033 | 9 | 1,095 |
| 14 | Jaden Nixon2024 · 13 games | 919 | 12 | 996 |
| 15 | Davon Tucker2016 – 2019 · 32 games | 790 | 9 | 801 |
| 16 | Aaron Winchester2008 – 2011 · 36 games | 692 | 1 | 862 |
| 17 | Jaxson Kincaide2020 – 2021 · 18 games | 691 | 7 | 746 |
| 18 | Lolo Mataele2025 – 2026 · still playing | 483 | 4 | 516 |
| +231 this season | ||||
| 19 | Devin Miles2025 · 14 games | 425 | 3 | 461 |
| 20 | Glenis Thompson2006 – 2009 · 28 games | 397 | 2 | 415 |
| 21 | Chase Brown2018 · 13 games | 352 | 0 | 427 |
| 22 | Fabian Johnson2014 – 2016 · 25 games | 327 | 4 | 398 |
| 23 | Antoin Scriven2010 – 2013 · 30 games | 285 | 13 | 498 |
| 24 | Daniel Marks2004 · 5 games | 189 | 1 | 195 |
| 25 | Kirk Elsworth2005 – 2008 · 17 games | 157 | 0 | 227 |
rushing yards by decade
2020s
- › Jalen Buckley2022 – 2026 · 46 games3,427
- Sean Tyler2020 – 2022 · 29 games2,440
- La'Darius Jefferson2020 – 2022 · 25 games1,695
- Zahir Abdus-Salaam2021 – 2024 · 45 games1,260
- Jaden Nixon2024 · 13 games919
2010s
- Jarvion Franklin2014 – 2017 · 52 games4,867
- LeVante Bellamy2015 – 2019 · 48 games3,720
- Jamauri Bogan2015 – 2018 · 46 games3,327
- Dareyon Chance2010 – 2014 · 46 games2,179
- Brian Fields2010 – 2013 · 42 games1,568
2004–09
- Brandon West2006 – 2009 · 49 games3,671
- Mark Bonds2004 – 2007 · 42 games2,453
- Trovon Riley2004 – 2005 · 19 games1,695
- Aaron Winchester2008 – 2009 · 21 games420
- Glenis Thompson2006 – 2009 · 28 games397
Also at Western Michigan: quarterbacks · wide receivers · tight ends · defenders · kickers · punters · Western Michigan record book
Method
- Every running back who played at Western Michigan 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 Western Michigan before then isn't here.
- A decade counts his rushing yards at Western Michigan 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 Western Michigan is counted at tonight's numbers against the record book's, which run through the 2025 season.