North Carolina State University Athletics
Rivers Finishes as Nation's Passing Efficiency Leader
1/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 5, 2004
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.--Oklahoma's Jason White and Eli Manning of Mississippi may have walked off with the hardware last month, but Philip Rivers won the statistical battle over most of the quarterbacks in the country last season. The ACC Player of the Year, who ended his brilliant career by connecting on 37-of-45 passes for 475 yards and five touchdowns in NC State's 56-26 victory over Kansas in the Tangerine Bowl, finished as the nation's leader in passing efficiency. Rivers' rating of 170.5 is the second best figure in the history of the ACC (Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton recorded a 175.0 rating in 1999).
Ben Roethlisberger of Miami (Ohio) was second behind Rivers in passing efficiency (165.8), while White, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Manning, who won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, finished 7th and 17th, respectively.
In the category of total offense, Rivers was second only to Texas Tech's B.J. Symons in the final NCAA statistics, which were updated following Sunday night's Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Rivers averaged 353.8 yards per game in 2003.
Rivers stunning completion percentage of 72.5% was also number one in the nation and broke the ACC record formerly held by Florida State's Charlie Ward.
NC State's top receiver, Jerricho Cotchery, was also prominent in the final NCAA stats, finishing 12th in receptions per game (6.62) and 6th in receiving yards per contest (105.15).
As a whole, the Wolfpack offense of 2003 also set new school marks for total offense in a season (453.15), total points (489), touchdowns (65), and average points per game (37.62).
In the final national rankings, the Pack finished 13th in total offense and 8th in scoring.
