Former quarterback set seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records and 26 school records during his Wildcat career
Former Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch has been named to the 2023 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today.
Couch is one of 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
A storied name of the Kentucky program, Couch, was the team’s quarterback from 1996-98. After giving up his senior season of eligibility, he was drafted as the No. 1 pick by Cleveland in the 1999 NFL Draft. In 1998, the junior quarterback was named a first-team All-American and consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.
Couch completed 400 of 553 passes for 4,275 yards and 36 touchdowns and led the nation in pass completions while ranked second in completion percentage, passing yardage and touchdown passes, and fourth in total offense.
After guiding the Wildcats to the Outback Bowl, UK’s first New Year’s Day bowl appearance in 47 years, Couch finished fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting. He was also a finalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award as a junior and sophomore.
His breakout sophomore campaign featured 363 of 547 passes completed for 3,884 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading the nation in pass attempts, completions, yardage, and completion percentage.
Also during his sophomore year, Couch earned second-team All-SEC honors and finished ninth in Heisman voting. He played in seven games as a true freshman, with two starts.
Career wise, Couch completed 795 passes on 1,184 attempts for 8,435 yards and 74 touchdowns. The legend ended his career with seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records, and 26 school records.
Couch, also a standout at Leslie County High School in Hyden, Kentucky, was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame in 2021.
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023, with specific details to be announced in the future.