In 2014, Zay Jones watched as teammate Justin Hardy set an FBS record. Two years later, Jones is the record-setter -- at his former East Carolina teammate’s expense.
With his eighth catch of the day in the game against Navy, Hardy pushed his total of career receptions to 388. That broke the FBS record of 387 set by Hardy from 2011-14.Here’s the record-setting catch by @ECUPiratesFB WR Zay Jones #AmericanPower @biletnikoffawrd https://t.co/Dv6YbDwgMp
— American Football (@American_FB) November 19, 2016
Congrats to @ECUAthletics Zay Jones. New all-time FBS leader in career receptions!! pic.twitter.com/GcV32v49or
— NCAA Stats (@NCAAStats) November 19, 2016
🎉 Congratulations Zay!! ☠️🏈 pic.twitter.com/eez9bQASQG
— ECUAthletics (@ECUAthletics) November 19, 2016
Jones caught 62 passes as a freshman in 2013, then grabbed 81 and 98 the next two seasons. Coming into today’s game, Jones had a whopping 139 receptions; the FBS single-season record is 155 by Bowling Green’s Freddie Barnes in 2009. As Jones already has 10 receptions in the first half against Navy -- he’s caught at least 10 passes in 10 of 11 games this year -- he’s just six catches away from tying and seven from breaking Barnes’ seven-year-old standard.