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CATCH UP ON THE COUNTDOWN BY VISITING: ARIZONA’S TOP 100 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Only 66 days separate us from the start of Rich Rodriguez’s fifth season, when the Arizona Wildcats football team plays Brigham Young on Sept. 3 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
As is customary on this Web site, we will count down the days with an interesting element associated with each day. This year the topic is the top 100 individual records in Arizona’s storied football past.
Compiling the list was no easy task, but it was feasible to do with the information provided in the record books by the Arizona media relations department, and we appreciate that.
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Ontiwaun Carter’s 805 carries over 46 games in his career from 1991 to 1994 remains an Arizona record.
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In past years, we have counted down the top games and highlighted players and some of the top plays in Arizona Wildcats football history. A couple of years ago in our top 100 countdown, we showcased the 1914 team that was responsible for Arizona becoming the “Wildcats”.
Back to this year’s countdown of the top 100 individual records in the 117 years of Arizona football:
No. 66
Most Individual Rushing Attempts, Career: 805, Ontiwaun Carter, 1991-94 (3,501 yards)
NCAA record: 1,215, Steve Bartalo, Colorado State, 1983-86 (4,813 yards)
Ontiwaun Carter is the third-leading rusher in Arizona history with 3,501 yards in his career.
Ontiwaun Carter was the epitome of a workhorse, exemplified by his record 805 carries in his career. He averaged a school-record 24.4 rushes a game as a senior in 1994 as the featured back after sharing the load with Chuck Levy and Billy Johnson in his three previous seasons.
Carter led the team in rushing in 1992 (739 yards), 1993 (837) and 1994 (1,163). He set the school rushing record Nov. 12, 1994, surpassing Art Luppino’s 3,371 yards in a loss to USC. Trung Canidate broke Carter’s record five years later. Ka’Deem Carey became Arizona’s career rushing leader in 2013.
Carey, who finished with 743 carries in his career, potentially could have passed Carter’s mark in his final year of eligibility but he left to the NFL after his junior season.
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
