| ANNUAL KICKOFF RETURN LEADERS | |||||
| Year | Player | Returns | Yards | Avg. | TDs |
| 1940 | Bill Dudley | 14 | 356 | 25.4 | 1 |
| 1941 | Eddie Bryant | 6 | 99 | 16.5 | 0 |
| 1942 | Eddie Bryant | 3 | 76 | 25.3 | 0 |
| 1944 | Dick Davis | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | 0 |
| 1946 | Ray Brown | 5 | 115 | 23.0 | 0 |
| 1947 | Bruce Bailey | 8 | 143 | 17.9 | 0 |
| 1948 | Joe McCary | 8 | 169 | 21.1 | 0 |
| 1949 | John Papit | 17 | 397 | 23.4 | 0 |
| 1950 | Gerry Furst | 7 | 114 | 16.3 | 0 |
| 1951 | Jim Ashwell | 3 | 125 | 41.7 | 1 |
| 1952 | Eddie Knowles | 4 | 106 | 26.5 | 0 |
| 1953 | Henry Strempek | 10 | 240 | 24.0 | 1 |
| 1954 | Henry Strempek | 6 | 114 | 19.0 | 0 |
| 1955 | Jim Bakhtiar | 8 | 151 | 18.9 | 0 |
| 1956 | Jim Bakhtiar | 6 | 113 | 18.8 | 0 |
| 1957 | Carl Moser | 10 | 248 | 24.8 | 0 |
| 1958 | Sonny Randle (led nation) | 21 | 506 | 24.1 | 0 |
| 1959 | Tom Gravins (led ACC) | 17 | 346 | 20.4 | 0 |
| 1960 | Ted Rzempoluch | 11 | 221 | 20.1 | 0 |
| 1961 | Bobby Freeman | 9 | 162 | 18.0 | 0 |
| 1962 | Bobby Freeman | 7 | 155 | 22.1 | 0 |
| 1963 | Henry Massie | 5 | 184 | 36.8 | 1 |
| 1964 | Roger Davis (led ACC) | 21 | 461 | 22.0 | 0 |
| 1965 | John Pincavage | 14 | 344 | 24.6 | 1 |
| 1966 | Frank Quayle | 18 | 439 | 24.4 | 0 |
| 1967 | Frank Quayle | 17 | 422 | 24.8 | 1 |
| 1968 | Frank Quayle | 12 | 230 | 19.2 | 0 |
| 1969 | Chuck Mooser | 18 | 368 | 20.4 | 0 |
| 1970 | Jim Lacey | 16 | 360 | 22.5 | 0 |
| 1971 | Gerard Mullins | 17 | 405 | 23.8 | 0 |
| 1972 | Kent Merritt | 10 | 227 | 22.7 | 0 |
| 1973 | Gerard Mullins | 12 | 276 | 23.0 | 0 |
| 1974 | Joe Sroba | 18 | 440 | 24.4 | 0 |
| 1975 | Joe Sroba | 31 | 647 | 20.9 | 0 |
| 1976 | Joe Sroba | 25 | 558 | 22.3 | 0 |
| 1977 | Tom Vigorito | 23 | 504 | 21.9 | 0 |
| 1978 | Sean McCall (led ACC) | 19 | 511 | 26.9 | 0 |
| 1979 | Sean McCall | 17 | 350 | 20.6 | 0 |
| 1980 | Dave Hall | 14 | 285 | 20.4 | 0 |
| 1981 | Greg Taylor | 6 | 164 | 27.3 | 0 |
| 1982 | Malcolm Pittman | 30 | 617 | 20.6 | 0 |
| 1983 | Malcolm Pittman | 20 | 486 | 24.3 | 0 |
| 1984 | Barry Word | 18 | 351 | 19.5 | 0 |
| 1985 | Malcolm Pittman | 20 | 440 | 22.0 | 0 |
| 1986 | Chris Warren | 34 | 768 | 22.6 | 0 |
| 1987 | Darrell Wynn | 12 | 215 | 17.9 | 0 |
| 1988 | Tim Finkelston | 14 | 324 | 23.1 | 0 |
| 1989 | Terry Kirby | 13 | 257 | 19.8 | 0 |
| 1990 | Larry Holmes | 16 | 328 | 20.5 | 0 |
| 1991 | Jerrod Washington | 13 | 339 | 26.1 | 1 |
| 1992 | Jerrod Washington | 23 | 464 | 20.2 | 1 |
| 1993 | Jerrod Washington | 14 | 253 | 18.1 | 0 |
| 1994 | Demetrius “Pete” Allen | 11 | 207 | 18.8 | 0 |
| 1995 | Demetrius “Pete” Allen | 29 | 608 | 21.0 | 0 |
| 1996 | Terrence Wilkins | 14 | 290 | 20.7 | 0 |
| 1997 | Terrence Wilkins | 21 | 441 | 21.0 | 0 |
| 1998 | Antwoine Womack | 12 | 236 | 19.7 | 0 |
| 1999 | Tavon Mason | 9 | 176 | 19.6 | 0 |
| 2000 | Tavon Mason | 16 | 346 | 21.6 | 0 |
| 2001 | Tavon Mason | 19 | 482 | 25.4 | 1 |
| 2002 | Wali Lundy | 17 | 409 | 24.1 | 0 |
| 2003 | Tony Franklin | 13 | 336 | 25.8 | 0 |
| 2004 | Marquis Weeks | 11 | 354 | 32.2 | 1 |
| 2005 | Cedric Peerman | 21 | 542 | 25.8 | 0 |
| 2006 | Cedric Peerman | 19 | 519 | 27.3 | 0 |
| 2007 | Andrew Pearman | 29 | 608 | 21.0 | 0 |
| 2008 | Chase Minnifield | 21 | 490 | 23.3 | 0 |
| 2009 | Chase Minnifield | 22 | 513 | 23.3 | 0 |