Minnesota Golden Gophers · All-time career leaders
Minnesota Football Career Tackles for Loss Leaders
Willie VanDeSteeg holds Minnesota's career tackles for loss record with 43.5 tackles for loss (2005–2008). John Schlecht (42.5) and Karon Riley (42) round out the top three. 5 of the top 10 played since 2000; the most recent is Anthony Smith (2022–2025), No. 8 on the list.
Minnesota Golden GophersUpdated Oct 6, 2026
| Rank | Player | Years | Tackles for Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willie VanDeSteeg | 2005–2008 | 43.5 |
| 2 | John Schlecht | 1998–2000 | 42.5 |
| 3 | Karon Riley | 1999–2000 | 42 |
| 4 | Carter Coughlin | 2016–2019 | 40 |
| 5 | Darrell Reid | 2001–2004 | 38 |
| 6 | Ben Mezera | 1997–2000 | 34.5 |
| 7 | Steve Neils | 1971–1973 | 33 |
| 8 | Anthony SmithIn CFB 27 | 2022–2025 | 31 |
| 8 | Blake Cashman | 2015–2018 | 31 |
| 8 | Lamanzer Williams | 1994–1997 | 31 |
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Sources & notes
- CFB Clipboard — Career leaderboards researched and compiled by CFB Clipboard.
- Career totals cover a player’s games at Minnesota only.
Last updated Oct 6, 2026.