April 20, 1998
Ryan Leaf: Career Summary
ALL-AMERICAN
Quarterback
Washington State University
6 - 5 1/2 / 2 3 8 Great Falls, Montana (Russell High '94)
RYAN LEAF NATIONALLY IN 1997
3rd -- Total Offense (3,583 yards, 325.7/game)
2nd -- Passing Efficiency Rating (161.18)
RYAN LEAF IN THE PAC-10
(WSU junior quarterback has set the following Pacific-10 single season records and is ranked in the following career categories:)
PAC-10 SINGLE SEASON
1st -- 33 Touchdown Passes In A Season
1st -- 39 Touchdowns Responsible For (TDR)
1st -- 3,583 Yards Total Offense In A Season
1st -- 325.7 Total Offense Yards per Game
1st -- 3,637 Passing Yards In A Season
[Totals are for 11 games; bowl game not included]
PAC-10 CAREER
6th -- 59 Career Touchdown Passes (tied)
15th -- 7,433 Career Passing Yards
14th -- 7,262 Career Total Offense Yards
[Career totals include all bowl games]
RYAN LEAF AT WASHINGTON STATE
(Ryan Leaf has set the following WSU single-season and career records and ranks in the following career categories:)
WSU SINGLE SEASON
1st -- 3,968 Passing Yards - One season
1st -- 3,920 Yards Total Offense - One Season
1st -- 305 Passing Yards In The First Half (twice)
1st - 371 Passing Yards In The Second Half
1st -- 5 touchdown Passes In A Game (ties record)
1st -- 34 Touchdown Passes In One Year
WSU CAREER
1st -- 59 Career Touchdown Passes
1st -- 72 Career Touchdowns Responsible
1st -- 6.89 Yards/Play Total Offense
2nd -- 7,433 Career Passing Yards (385 yards short of Jack Thompson's record)
2nd -- 7,262 Career Total Offense Yards (436 yards short of Jack Thompson's record)
[All WSU rankings include bowl game performances]
PASS GP/GS PA PC PI YDS PCT TD LG RATING
1994 - Redshirt
1995 9/1 97 52 1 654 .536 4 32 121.79
1996 11/11 373 194 12 2811 .520 21 68 127.46
1997 12/12 410 227 11 3968 .554 34 80 158.66
CAREER: 32/24 880 473 24 7433 .538 59 80
RUSH TC YG YL NYG AVG TD LG
1994 - Redshirt
1995 22 74 61 13 0.6 2 14
1996 69 154 290 -136 -1.9 5 42
1997 82 211 259 -48 -0.6 6 21
CAREER: 173 439 610 -171 -1.0 13 42
T-OFF PLAYS RUSH PASS YARDS
1994 - Redshirt
1995 119 13 654 667
1996 442 -136 2811 2675
1997 492 -48 3968 3920
CAREER: 1053 -171 7433 7262
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY CAREER FOOTBALL SUMMARY RYAN LEAF
1997 (JUNIOR) PA PC PI YDS TD LG TC YG YL NYG TD LG T-OFFENSE
8/30 UCLA *30 17 0 381 3 78 4 3 4 -1 1 2 380
9/13 @ USC *40 21 2 355 3 51 11 17 43 -26 0 10 329
9/20 @ Illinois *36 21 3 302 4 80 9 29 20 9 0 14 311
9/27 BOISE STATE *30 17 0 289 3 44 4 16 13 3 1 10 292
10/4 @ Oregon *27 16 1 226 1 38 8 34 23 11 0 21 237
10/18 CALIFORNIA *21 13 0 332 5 72 3 11 15 -4 0 11 328
10/25 ARIZONA *46 23 1 384 3 48 7 22 21 1 1 10 385
11/1 @ Arizona State *49 24 1 447 3 66 10 9 53 -44 0 7 403
11/8 US LOUISIANA *21 13 0 305 4 47 3 17 0 17 1 8 322 - 2 Qts
11/15 STANFORD *37 23 1 258 2 23 6 11 20 -9 1 7 249
11/22 @ Washington *38 22 1 358 2 57 7 7 18 -11 1 4 347
1/1/98 Michigan (RB) *35 17 1 331 1 46 10 35 29 6 0 14 337
SEASON (12/12) 410 227 11 3968 34 80 82 211 259 -48 6 21 492/3920
CAREER: (24/32): 880 473 24 7433 59 80 173 439 610 -171 13 42 1,053/7262
1996 (SOPHOMORE) PA PC PI YDS TD LG TC YG YL NYG TD LG T-OFF.
8/31 @ Colorado *33 13 1 163 1 50 5 2 24 -22 0 2 141
9/7 @ Temple *29 19 0 273 4 40 2 20 0 20 1 20 293
9/21 OREGON *25 16 1 225 4 30 6 26 20 6 1 19 231
9/28 SAN JOSE ST *25 16 0 355 4 68 3 0 12 -12 0 -4 343
10/5 @ Arizona *37 22 2 348 2 38 8 2 54 -52 0 1 296
10/12 @ Oregon State *28 13 2 219 0 36 8 17 18 -1 1 9 218
10/19 CALIFORNIA *34 16 1 218 1 35 7 2 28 -26 1 1 192
10/26 USC *44 27 3 314 2 48 5 5 34 -29 0 3 285
11/9 @ UCLA *46 20 0 195 1 23 7 58 27 31 0 42 226
11/16 @ Stanford *38 18 2 250 1 25 9 20 41 -21 7 229
11/23 WASHINGTON *34 14 0 251 1 47 9 2 32 -30 1 2 221
SEASON (11/11): 373 194 12 2811 21 68 69 154 290 -136 5 42 2675
CAREER: (11/19): 470 246 13 3465 25 68 91 228 351 -123 7 42 3342
RECORDS
9/28/96 - 305 yards passing in the first half a WSU record for passing yards in a half and in the first half
12/96 - 2,811 passing yards a WSU sophomore record
1995 (FRESHMAN) PA PC PI YDS TD LG TC YG YL NYG TD LG T-OFF.
9/2 @ Pittsburgh dnp
9/9 MONTANA 3 1 0 31 0 31 0
9/23 U C L A dnp
9/30 @ Nebraska 0
10/7 OREGON STATE 7 2 0 57 0 32 1 0 1 -1 0 -1
10/14 @ USC 0
10/21 @ Oregon 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/28 ARIZONA 0
11/4 @ California 7 1 0 2 0 2 5 27 11 16 0 14
11/11 STANFORD 44 26 1 273 3 33 7 16 22 -6 0 9
11/18 Washington *33 22 0 291 1 30 9 31 27 4 2 12 First Start
SEASON (1/9): 97 52 1 654 4 33 22 74 61 13 2 14 667
* = Starter
RS-JUNIOR (1997-98): Started the season throwing for a career high 381 yards and three touchdowns in WSU's win against UCLA 37-34...a week later he passed for 355 yards and three more touchdowns as WSU beat USC 28-21 in Los Angeles for the first time since 1957...the two wins also marked the first time WSU had ever defeated both UCLA and USC in the same season...Leaf had four touchdown passes and threw for 302 yards in WSU's non-conference win at Illinois 35-22...in WSU's fourth win, a 58-0 shutout of Boise State, Leaf threw for 289 yards, hitting 17 of 30 passes for three scores and no interceptions...he played just three quarters against BSU...Leaf directed WSU on clutch scoring drives at the end of the first half and in the third quarter (putting the Cougars ahead 21-3) as Washington State improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Pac-10 play with a 24-13 win at Oregon, the first Cougar victory in Eugene since 1989...Leaf hit on 16 of 27 passes for 226 yards and one score...his only interception came on a bobbled ball a Coug receiver...Leaf guided WSU to a convincing 63-37 victory over California as WSU improved to 6-0, throwing five touchdown passes to equal a school record that he now shares with Jack Thompson, Timm Rosenbach and Drew Bledsoe...before leaving the game late in the third quarter with his club ahed 56-6, Leaf completed 13 of 21 passes for 332 yards, five scores and no interceptions...included were TD passes of 72, 57, 55 and 43 yards...Pac-10 offensive player of the week...in WSU's 35-34 win over Arizona in overtime, Leaf threw for three touchdowns and dove into the endzone from a yard out for the winning score on WSU's first OT possession...he threw for a career high 384 yards, completing 23 of 46 passes, with one interception and three TD passes...in 44-31 loss at ASU, threw for a career high 447 yards, hitting 24 of 49 passes...three touchdown passes and one interception...threw for school record 371 yards in the second half as WSU battled back from a 24-0 deficit to take a 25-24 lead in the fourth quarter...his 447 yards second best every by a WSU quarterback (Drew Bledsoe holds the record at 476 vs. Utah in the 1992 Copper Bowl) and the best ever against a Pac-10 opponent...played the first two quarters in WSU's 77-7 win over Southwestern Louisiana, completing 13 of 21 passes for four touchdowns and 305 yards...it was the tenth 300+ yard passing game of his three-year career and the eighth this year...he also has topped 300 yards in a half three times...in WSU's 38-28 win over Stanford, connected on 23 of 37 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and one interception...led WSU's offense to 441 yards as the Cougars battled back from 14-10 and 28-27 deficits, the latter in the fourth quarter...in WSU's 41-35 victory over Washington that earned the Cougars a share of the Pacific-10 title, Leaf threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns and scored one himself as the winners ammassed 520 yards in total offense....the win clinched WSU's first Rose Bowl Berth since 1931 (1930 season), a span of 67 years...Pac-10 offensive player of the week...threw for 331 yards in WSU's 21-16 loss to national champion Michigan (12-0) in the 84th Rose Bowl, completing 17 of 35 passes...threw one TD pass and one interception and picked up six yards rushing...in closing 29 seconds, guided WSU from the Cougar seven to the Michigan 26 before time ran out at the end of the game...steaked WSU to an early 7-0 first quarter lead over Michigan with a 15-yard scoring toss to Kevin McKenzie...April 18 - drafted by San Diego as the second player taken in the NFL draft.
LEAF'S MAJOR 1997 AWARDS
* Pacific-10 Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Year
* Pacific-10 Conference first team offense
* The Sporting News first team All-American
* Associated Press second team All-American
* Heisman Trophy finalist (third behind Charles Woodson and Peyton Manning)
* Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award finalist (with Peyton Manning and Cade McNown)
* Columbus Touchdown Club's Sammy Baugh Passer-of-the-Year Award
* Maxwell Trophy finalist (with Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson and Randy Moss)
* Football News semi-finalist for player-of-the-year award
* Declared his intention to enter the 1998 NFL Draft during a press conference Jan. 2
RS-SOPHOMORE (1996): V-letter...started all 11 games...All Pac-10 honorable mention...The Sporting News All-American honorable mention...second in the league and 17th nationally in total offense with 2,675 total yards and 243.2 ypg...completed 194 of 373 (.520) passes for 2,811 yards and 21 touchdowns...finished sixth in the Pac-10 in passing efficiency with a 127.46 rating...season totals ranked him third on the all-time one season WSU passing list and fifth in single season total offense...had seven consecutive games throwing for over 200 yards - Temple (273), Oregon (225), SJSU (355), Arizona (348), OSU (219), California (218), USC (314)...completed 16 passes for 355 yards no interceptions and four touchdowns against SJSU, setting a school record by throwing for 303 yards in the first halfOebroke Drew Bledsoe's record of 300 yards in the first half of the Copper Bowl against Utah... won the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week award for his play against SJSU...against USC hit a season high 27 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns...at Arizona completed 22-of-37 passes for 348 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions...his passing totals set a WSU record for sophomore quarterbacksOeran for six touchdowns...earned six team awards during the season: Pac-10 Offensive Nominee - Temple, SJSU; Offensive Back - Oregon; Cougar Claw - Arizona, Stanford, Washington.
RS-FRESHMAN (1995-96): V-letter..saw action in nine games...backup to Chad Davis at quarterback for the majority of the season before finishing the year as the starter against Washington...completed 52 of 97 passes for 654 yards, four touchdowns and one interception...also ran for two touchdowns...saw action against Montana where he completed one pass for 31 yards...against Oregon State, he was 2 of 7 for 57 yards passing...was 0-3 in limited action against Oregon...played the entire second quarter of the California game...was 1 of 7 for two yards passing and gained 16 rushing yards...with the exception of the first series, played the entire Stanford game, completing 26 of 44 passes for 273 yards, three touchdowns and one interception...earned his first career start against Washington where he was 22 of 33 passing for 291 yards and one touchdown...also rushed for two touchdowns in the Apple Cup game...his 291 yards passing set a WSU record for the first start by a quarterback...a member of the special teams during the first part of the season...used as an up-back in punt formation...credited with two total tackles...earned two weekly team awards: Offensive Back - Stanford; Pac-10 Offense - Washington.
FRESHMAN (1994-95): Redshirt season...received offensive scout team award for work week of the UCLA game.
LEAF'S HIGH SCHOOL CAREER
Played two years at CM Russell High for Jack Johnson...as a JUNIOR completed 83 of 165 passes for 1,392 yards and 13 touchdowns...scored 10 times with 101 carries for 232 yards...all-conference second team pick in both football and basketball...team won State championship...named MVP of State title game...team finished 10-2...a starter on basketball team, averaging 18.4 points...missed three games as a SENIOR due to a broken thumb on throwing hand but still threw for 1,403 yards and 16 touchdowns...completed 87 of 167 passes...also rushed for 195 yards...team 8-2, losing in the State AA semifinals...a Montana All-State first team pick...named to the Midlands 100 by Super Prep Magazine and to the Western 100 by the Tacoma News Tribune...also punted and was holder on placements...during basketball season averaged 20 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 5.5 assists...team 15-6, finishing fourth in the State...selected to the All-State team and one of 10 picked to play in the Montana-Wyoming all-star game.
PERSONAL
Ryan David Leaf...born 5-15-76...parents John and Marcia Leaf...two brothers, Jeffrey and Brady...no sisters...enjoys fishing and hunting...interested in an advertising and broadcast communications degree at WSU.
RYAN LEAF ENGINEERS MANY KEY DRIVES IN 1997
Junior quarterback Ryan Leaf from Washington State made a habit this year of engineering key drives when the Cougars either trailed, or were challenged by the opponents: Consider:
WSU trailed against - UCLA 7-0 and 14-3, Illinois 7-0 and 14-7, California 6-0, ASU 24-0 before taking a lead they eventually lost, Stanford 14-10 and 28-27; Washington 7-0; WSU overcame deficits in six games and broke loose from a late-game tie to win another game;
On eight other occassions, WSU responded to the opponent's challenge with an answering score or scores.
While setting Pacific-10 Conference and WSU records for Total Offense (3,583 yards), Passing Yards (3,637 yards) and Touchdown Passes (33); Leaf actually missed the equivalent of one game; he did not play in the fourth quarters against Boise State and California and in the second half against USL.
UCLA (37-34): WSU trailed 7-0 and 14-3, then scored 27 straight for 30-14 lead...UCLA scored and WSU came right back for a 37-21 lead. (Summary: battled back from 14-3 deficit and responded to one late game score with equalizing score; Leaf threw for 381, three scores and ran for one TD);
USC (28-21): Led 21-6 and after USC scored twice to tie game, responded with game winning drive at 4:18 (Summary: responded to two USC scores with game winning drive late in fourth quarter; Leaf threw for 355 and three scores);
Illinois (35-22): Trailed 7-0 and tied game; trailed 14-7 and tied score in third quarter; built lead to 35-14 before allowing late game score (Summary: battled back from 7-0 and 14-7 deficits, scoring 28 straight; Leaf threw for 302);
Boise State (58-0): Never trailed, leading 14-0 after one quarter; (Summary: never trailed; Leaf threw for 289 and ran for one TD in three quarters);
Oregon (24-13): Led 14-0 at halftime and 21-6 in fourth quarter; Oregon scored, cutting WSU lead to 21-13, but WSU drove 66 yards late in game for field goal and final 24-13 win; (Summary: kicked field goal after Oregon cut lead to 21-13; Leaf thew for 226 and one TD);
California (63-37): WSU trailed Cal 6-0 in first quarter, then scored 56 straight points for 56-7 lead; (Summary: Cal scored first, then all WSU until Cal's 31 late-game points; Leaf threw for 332 and five scores in three quarters);
Arizona State (31-44): WSU trailed 24-0, then battled back to take a 25-24 late-game lead; ASU scored to lead 30-25; WSU drove into position for go-ahead score, but lost ball on fourth down fumble; ASU scored two quick TDs off fumbles to lead 44-25, but WSU scored one more for final 31-44 finish; (Summary: WSU came back from 24-0 deficit to take short-lived lead; Leaf threw for 447 and three scores);
Southwestern Louisiana (77-7): WSU led 56-0 at halftime; (Summary: WSU never trailed; Leaf threw for 305 in the first half and didn't play in last two quarters);
Stanford (38-28): WSU led 10-0 early, then Stanford battled back for a 14-10 lead; WSU drove 54 yards for 24-14 lead, then kicked a field goal for 27-14 lead; Stanford came back with two scores and a 28-27 lead in the fourth quarter, but WSU took 35-28 lead with 66 yard drive, then drove 61 yards for field goal to take 10-point lead; (Summary: WSU came back from 10-0 and 28-27 deficits with go-ahead and game winning drives; Leaf threw for 258 and two scores and ran for one TD);
Washington (41-35): WSU came back from 7-0 deficit to take a 24-7 lead; Huskies scored twice, trailing 21-24, when WSU drove 80 yards for 31-21 lead; Washington scored for 28-31 score and WSU drove 66 yards for 38-28 lead, then tacked on a field goal with 62 yard drive; final Husky score with nine seconds left in game for 41-35 final; (Summary: WSU came back from 7-0 deficit and responded with key scoring drives at 24-21 and 31-28; Leaf threw for 358 and two scores and ran for one TD).
