NCAA Football Check-in: All Three Divisions
A mid-season update on every Missouri and Kansas quarterback, running back, and receiver. All three NCAA Divisions. Right here. And nowhere else.
Remember those high school athletes you watched and read about? What about the ones who played on into college? Ever wonder what they are doing and where they are doing what they are doing? Playing On Sports is your best source for that and much more. Playing On Sports reports on the NCAA experiences of all Missouri and Kansas athletes who compete in 11 sports. That’s right. And there are thousands of them. And this is the only place you will find this information. Before we look at our football athletes, this would be a good time for non-subscribers to get your free subscription. And if you are already a subscriber, I thank you. And I ask that you share this with your best friend.
A Word About Accuracy.
Playing On Sports strives to have the most complete and accurate information available. But errors and omissions can happen. If you see any error or omission, please let me know at PlayingOnSports@gmail.com. You can also contact me for any reason. I will respond to all.
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How many? From where? To where?
I have the answers to those questions! There are 1,760 Missouri and Kansas high school graduates who are on NCAA Division I, II, and III football rosters. There are 587 competing in Division I, 952 competing in Division II, and 221 competing in Division III.
These athletes come from 430 high schools stretching from the Kansas/Colorado border to the Missouri/Illinois border. Of course, they come from the big schools. A lot of them come from the largest of schools. But, there are also NCAA football players from Cair Paravel, Canton-Galva, Olpe, and Salem. All competing in the sport they love. There are 39 high schools that have ten or more football players in the NCAA. Christian Brothers has 36 Playing On, of which 20 are competing in Division I. DeSmet isn’t far behind with 29 playing in the NCAA, with 19 of them in Division I.
If you want the list from your school, just send me an email at PlayingOnSports@gmail.com.
If you pick up a college football program, don’t be surprised to see a local athlete on the roster. Of the 1,006 NCAA schools, 223 have at least one grad from Missouri or Kansas. Most every conference is represented. Interestingly, there are four on the roster at LSU, all from DeSmet High School.
Who to Review Today?
Well, I would like to review each and everyone of these athletes. They play every position on offense, defense, and special teams. That just isn’t possible. And too often the linemen are left out. Their statistics usually don’t tell the story of their accomplishments, like it is with quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. While today’s focus is on those three positions, I will not ignore any of the positions. You will need to get your free subscription to get my postseason “It’s a Wrap” series. Those articles will not only deliver the season’s statistics, but the season awards and honors earned by these athletes.
The Quarterbacks
These are all quarterbacks. Yes, there will be that occasional halfback pass. Those can be big plays, but the big numbers are generated by those with QB next to their name.
The top two passing leaders are competing in the Southeastern Conference. And seven lead their team in passing yards per game, four in Division I and three in Division II. Let’s take a look at some Top Fives. The numbers are as of 10-15-2023.
Passing Yards Per Game
292.29 - Brady Cook - Junior -Division I - Chaminade - University of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
271.00 - Graham Mertz - Junior-RS -Division I- Blue Valley North - University of Florida - Southeastern Conference
268.00 - Paxton DeLaurent - Junior - Division I - Camdenton - Southeast Missouri State University - Ohio Valley Conference
260.14 - Tanner Clarkson - Senior - Division II - Platte County - Black Hills State University - Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
207.86 - Brett Gabbert - Junior-RS - Division I - Christian Brothers - Miami-Ohio - MidAmerican Conference
Completion Percentage (Min. of 150 Attempts)
76.23 - Graham Mertz - Junior-RS -Division I- Blue Valley North - University of Florida - Southeastern Conference
70.97 - Brady Cook - Junior -Division I - Chaminade - University of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
64.14 - Paxton DeLaurent - Junior - Division I - Camdenton - Southeast Missouri State University - Ohio Valley Conference
63.39 - Nolan Hair - Senior - Division II - Blair Oaks - Truman State University - Great Lakes Valley Conference
61.39 - Brett Gabbert - Junior-RS - Division I - Christian Brothers - Miami-Ohio - MidAmerican Conference
You will find the passing statistics for all 75 quarterbacks ranked by passing yards per game, withing their Division, on this spreadsheet:
Rushing Yardage
I say rushing yardage because those yards aren’t gained by just the running backs. In today’s football, there are many fleet footed quarterbacks that have added a dimension to the game that had not been there before. These rushing numbers come from the athletes who are quarterbacks, running backs, tailbacks, and fullbacks. The numbers are as of 10/15/2023.
Rushing Yardage Per Game
135.29 - Jay Harris - Sophomore -Division II - Timberland - Northwest Missouri State - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
99.00 - Isaiah Davis - Senior - Division I - Joplin - South Dakota State - Missouri Valley Football Conference
94.10 - Devin Neal - Junior - Division I - Lawrence - University of Kansas - Big 12 Conference
92.57 - Cody Schrader - Graduate Student - Division I - Lutheran South - University of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
90.17 - DJ Giddens - Sophomore - Division I - Junction City - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
88.29 - Jaylin Richardson - Junior - Division II - Schlagle - Concordia University-St. Paul - Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Rushing Touchdowns
13 - Blake Delacruz - Junior - Division II - Parkview - Harding University - Great American Conference
9 - Jay Harris - Sophomore -Division II - Timberland - Northwest Missouri State - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
8 - Mason Huskey - Junior - Division II - Hallsville - Truman State University - Great Lakes Valley Conference
7 - Isaiah Davis - Senior - Division I - Joplin - South Dakota State - Missouri Valley Football Conference
7 - Cody Schrader - Graduate Student - Division I - Lutheran South - University of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
6 - Avery Johnson - Freshman - Division I - Maize - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
6 - Jaylin Richardson - Junior - Division II - Schlagle - Concordia University-St. Paul - Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
6 - Devin Neal - Junior - Division I - Lawrence - University of Kansas - Big 12 Conference
You will find the rushing statistics for all 220 quarterbacks and running backs on this spreadsheet. They are ranked within their Division by rushing yards per game. The data is as of 10-15-2023
Receiving Yardage
Yes, wide receivers and tight ends are included. So are slot backs and every eligible receiver coming out of the backfield other than the quarterback. The data is as of 10-15-2023.
Receiving Yards Per Game
110.86 - Arkell Smith - Senior-RS - Division II - Carthage - Central Missouri State - Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Conference
97.83 - Ja’Mori Macklin - Sophomore - Division I - Kirkwood - Univ. of North Texas - Conference USA
96.29 - Jaylin Varner - Junior RS - Division II - Marshall - Emporia State University - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
94.33 - Darius Cooper - Junior - Division I - Hazelwood West - Tarleton State University - Western Athletic Conference
92.14 - Tyler Kahmann - Senior - Division II - Campus - Emporia State University - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Total Receptions
59 - Ntense Obono - Junior - Division III - Lawrence - Carleton College - Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association
58 - Arkell Smith - Senior-RS - Division II - Carthage - Central Missouri State - Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Conference
56 - Tyler Kahmann - Senior - Division II - Campus - Emporia State University - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
53 - Jaylin Varner - Junior RS - Division II - Marshall - Emporia State University - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
52 - Luke Grimm - Junior - Division I - Raymore-Peculiar - University of Kansas - Big 12 Conference
You will find the receiving statistics for all 524 receivers and running backs. They are ranked within their respective Division by receiving yards per game. The data is as of 10-15-2023.
I hope you enjoyed this update on our football athletes in the NCAA. Playing On Sports covers four other Fall Season Sports. And then, of course, there are the Winter and Spring Season sports.
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