By SuperWest Sports Staff
The West has produced a multitude of great college football punt returns.
The all-time lists of the best single-season national punt return leaders include some of the country’s best.
The tables below rank the top returners in the past 65+ seasons in single-season punt returns, punt return yards, yards per punt return, and punt return touchdowns.
Let’s get to the lists.
Best in West Single-Season Punt Returns Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Ret |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Vai Sikahema | BYU | 54 |
| 1984 | Vai Sikahema | BYU | 51 |
| 1986 | Mike OBrien | BYU | 50 |
| 2000 | Holmon Wiggins | New Mexico | 46 |
| 1988 | Scott Wells | San Jose State | 46 |
| 1998 | Joe Jarzynka | Washington | 45 |
| 1992 | Ronnie Harris | Oregon | 44 |
| 1981 | Vai Sikahema | BYU | 44 |
| 2003 | Sammy Moore | Washington State | 43 |
| 1987 | Anthony Sargent | Wyoming | 43 |
| 1999 | Deltha ONeal | California | 42 |
| 1997 | Chad Smith | New Mexico | 42 |
| 1995 | Pat Johnson | Oregon | 41 |
| 1991 | Malcolm Seabron | Fresno State | 41 |
| 1990 | Jeff Sydner | Hawaii | 40 |
| 1989 | Terry Obee | Oregon | 40 |
| 2001 | Bernard Berrian | Fresno State | 39 |
| 2001 | Tim Gilligan | Boise State | 39 |
| 1980 | Darnell Clash | Wyoming | 39 |
Best in West Single-Season Punt Return Yards Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Glyn Milburn | Stanford | 573 |
| 2010 | Shaky Smithson | Utah | 572 |
| 2002 | Dexter Wynn | Colorado State | 567 |
| 1990 | Beno Bryant | Washington | 560 |
| 1995 | Greg Myers | Colorado State | 555 |
| 2001 | Bernard Berrian | Fresno State | 552 |
| 1999 | Dallas Davis | Colorado State | 541 |
| 1998 | Michael Fletcher | Oregon | 476 |
| 1984 | Vai Sikahema | BYU | 472 |
| 2008 | Kyle Wilson | Boise State | 470 |
| 2006 | Sammie Stroughter | Oregon State | 470 |
| 1989 | Dwight Pickens | Fresno State | 470 |
| 2000 | Pete Rebstock | Colorado State | 469 |
| 2003 | Tim Gilligan | Boise State | 460 |
| 2005 | Quinton Jones | Boise State | 459 |
Best in West Single-Season Yards per Punt Return Leaders
| Year | Player | School | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Maurice Drew | UCLA | 28.5 |
| 1985 | Erroll Tucker | Utah | 24.3 |
| 2004 | Kevin Robinson | Utah State | 22.5 |
| 1986 | Anthony Parker | Arizona State | 22.0 |
| 1995 | James Dye | BYU | 21.9 |
| 2018 | Marcus Hayes | New Mexico | 21.2 |
| 2023 | Zachariah Branch | USC | 20.8 |
| 1998 | Ben Kelly | Colorado | 20.8 |
| 2017 | Dante Pettis | Washington | 20.4 |
| 2008 | Ian Clark | New Mexico | 19.7 |
| 2013 | Nelson Agholor | USC | 19.1 |
| 2010 | Shaky Smithson | Utah | 19.1 |
| 1983 | Jim Sandusky | San Diego State | 19.1 |
| 1999 | Dennis Northcutt | Arizona | 19.0 |
| 2007 | Kevin Robinson | Utah State | 18.9 |
| 1992 | Glyn Milburn | Stanford | 18.5 |
| 2022 | Anthony Gould | Oregon State | 18.3 |
| 2006 | Desean Jackson | California | 18.2 |
| 2000 | Jemeel Powell | California | 18.2 |
| 2001 | Roman Hollowell | Colorado | 18.0 |
| 1996 | James Dye | BYU | 17.6 |
Best in West Single-Season Punt Return TDs Leaders
| Year | Player | School | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Dante Pettis | Washington | 4 |
| 2010 | Cliff Harris | Oregon | 4 |
| 2006 | Desean Jackson | California | 4 |
| 2008 | Kyle Wilson | Boise State | 3 |
| 2005 | Quinton Jones | Boise State | 3 |
| 2005 | Maurice Drew | UCLA | 3 |
| 1999 | Steve Smith Sr. | Utah | 3 |
| 1995 | Greg Myers | Colorado State | 3 |
| 1990 | Beno Bryant | Washington | 3 |
| 1992 | Glyn Milburn | Stanford | 3 |
| 1979 | Mark Lee | Washington | 3 |
| 2024 | Parker Kingston | BYU | 2 |
| 2022 | Anthony Gould | Oregon State | 2 |
| 2022 | Nikko Remigio | Fresno State | 2 |
| 2021 | Britain Covey | Utah | 2 |
| 2020 | Avery Williams | Boise State | 2 |
| 2019 | Avery Williams | Boise State | 2 |
| 2016 | Adoree Jackson | USC | 2 |
| 2016 | Dante Pettis | Washington | 2 |
| 2015 | Joe Hansley | Colorado State | 2 |
| 2015 | Adoree Jackson | USC | 2 |
| 2015 | Dante Pettis | Washington | 2 |
| 2014 | Nelson Agholor | USC | 2 |
| 2014 | Ty Montgomery | Stanford | 2 |
| 2014 | Bruce Natson | Utah State | 2 |
| 2014 | Charles Nelson | Oregon | 2 |
| 2013 | Bralon Addison | Oregon | 2 |
| 2013 | Nelson Agholor | USC | 2 |
| 2013 | Isaiah Burse | Fresno State | 2 |
| 2013 | Bruce Natson | Utah State | 2 |
| 2013 | Tim Vizzi | San Diego State | 2 |
| 2011 | Justin Veltung | Idaho | 2 |
| 2011 | Devon Wylie | Fresno State | 2 |
| 2009 | Damian Williams | USC | 2 |
| 2007 | Antoine Cason | Arizona | 2 |
| 2007 | Clifton Smith | Fresno State | 2 |
| 2004 | Michael Bumpus | Washington State | 2 |
| 2004 | Reggie Bush | USC | 2 |
| 2004 | Chris Carr | Boise State | 2 |
| 2004 | Kevin Robinson | Utah State | 2 |
| 2003 | Billy Strother | New Mexico | 2 |
| 2002 | Jeremy Bloom | Colorado | 2 |
| 2002 | Keenan Howry | Oregon | 2 |
| 2002 | Jemeel Powell | California | 2 |
| 2001 | Roman Hollowell | Colorado | 2 |
| 2001 | |Keenan Howry | Oregon | 2 |
| 2000 | Stephen Persley | New Mexico | 2 |
| 1998 | Michael Fletcher | Oregon | 2 |
| 1998 | Damon Gourdine | San Diego State | 2 |
| 1998 | Ben Kelly | Colorado | 2 |
| 1998 | R. Jay Soward | USC | 2 |
| 1997 | Steve Smith | Utah State | 2 |
| 1997 | Frank Staine-Pyne | Air Force | 2 |
| 1997 | Troy Walters | Stanford | 2 |
| 1996 | Times Dye | BYU | 2 |
| 1994 | Matthew Harding | Hawaii | 2 |
| 1994 | Ray Peterson | San Diego State | 2 |
| 1988 | Torryl Henley | UCLA | 2 |
| 1987 | Jaan Grant | Stanford | 2 |
| 1987 | Roay Orrison | New Mexico | 2 |
| 1986 | Stephen Baker | Fresno State | 2 |
| 1986 | Kwante Hampton | Long Beach State | 2 |
| 1985 | Erroll Tucker | Utah | 2 |
| 1984 | Vai Sikahema | BYU | 2 |
| 1982 | Mike Fox | San Diego State | 2 |
| 1981 | Fred Fernandes | Utah State | 2 |
| 1981 | David Toloumu | Hawaii | 2 |
| 1978 | Mark Bozich | New Mexico State | 2 |
| 1977 | Ron Washington | Arizona State | 2 |
