Great Moments in the Hall of Fame Career of Tim Couch

Twenty-five years after he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Kentucky legend Tim Couch will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Couch is a part a of a 22-person class that will be enshrined in December. There is plenty of time to salute just the eighth former Kentucky Wildcat to enter the College Football Hall of Fame. For those who weren’t around when the Leslie County gunslinger was breaking records in Lexington, take this opportunity to see what Couch delivered to football fans around the Bluegrass. Need more? Friend of KSR, Corey Price, has a detailed looked at his 1998 Heisman campaign.

A Tennessee Recruiting Visit Goes Wrong

Tim Couch’s Hall of Fame career almost happened at Tennessee. He wanted to play for Phil Fulmer as Peyton Manning’s successor on Rocky Top. Couch told the coaches during an in-home visit he was ready to be a Volunteer. His father, Elbert, wasn’t having it.

“And in the middle of the conversation, my dad gets up and leaves the room and he goes outside. I hear him start his old red truck up and he takes off and Fulmer and Cutcliffe are in shock. This has never happened before. A recruit’s parent just gets up and leaves in the middle of a conversation. They’re like, ‘Should we wait on him?’ I’m like, ‘He ain’t coming back.’”

The two had a falling out, Tim left the house for three days, then returned home to tell his Dad he’d give the home state school a shot. The rest is history.

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Air Raid Introduction Against Louisville

Couch was prepared to make the move to Tennessee after watching the Cats win four games from the sideline in Bill Curry’s triple option offense. Hal Mumme came to town and quickly convinced him to remain in Lexington. His Air Raid offense used simple concepts out of multipole formations to create efficient throws. Couch had an opportunity to be a high volume thrower and he put it to work right away.

In his first start at Commonwealth Stadium, the deuce let loose. Couch completed 36-of-50 passes for a school record 398 yards. He tossed four touchdown passes, propelling Kentucky to a 38-24 win.

Bombs Away at Indiana

We’ve seen Kentucky quarterbacks put up big numbers against Louisville. I mean, come on, it’s Louisville. Couch proved it was no fluke two weeks after his debut.

The Indiana-Kentucky rivalry on the gridiron was once one of the most intense games the Cats played all year, particularly during a stretch from the late 80s to the mid 90s. Coach diffused that by dropping bombs at Memorial Stadium. He threw SEVEN touchdown passes in a 49-7 victory. It’s one of the 26 school records Couch set during his time at Kentucky, a record he tied the following year in an unforgettable performance.

Couch to Yeast

Three words that will live in Kentucky lore forever. Kentucky had not defeated Alabama since 1922. Anwar Stewart was the catalyst, returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown, as Couch served as Kentucky’s steady presence. The quarterback threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winning dart to Craig Yeast on third and long in overtime. The goalposts went down as Kentucky ended a 75-year drought vs. Alabama with a 40-34 triumph.

Couch Tears Up Cardinal Stadium Opener

Louisville football had finally climbed out of the gutter. Once considering a move to FCS, they shared an astroturf stadium with a minor league baseball team and solicited for donations at gas stations. Thanks to former Wildcat Howard Schnellenberger’s efforts, the school became respectable and finally had its own home, a shiny new 40,000 seat stadium.

Instead of celebrating the Cardinals’ ascension, Tim Couch christened the stadium with one of the most prolific passing performances in the history of college football. For the second time in his career he tossed seven touchdown passes, three of which were for 48 yards or more. He set new school records with 498 passing yards, all while spending the entire fourth quarter wearing a ballcap on the sideline of a 68-34 blowout.

Imagine opening a new stadium and giving up 68 points to your rival. Couldn’t be me.

Record Offensive Output in a Loss

The big games against Louisville actually weren’t the most explosive offensive performances during his magical two-year run in Lexington. Playing on the road at Arkansas, Couch completed 47 of his 67 passing attempts, each of which were SEC single-game records. He also broke his own school record with 499 yards. Unfortunately, he came up one completion short, failing to connect for a score in the final minutes of a 27-20 loss.

Walk-Off Win at LSU

Kentucky was 4-2, with only losses on the road to rank teams, when the Cats received rare primetime treatment for a nationally televised game at LSU. Couch delivered the drama. The Kentucky quarterback completed 37-of-50 passes for 391 yards and three third quarter touchdowns. Despite the impressive play, it did not put the Tigers away.

LSU stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game with two minutes to play. Couch guided Kentucky 58 yards down the field in only six plays, setting up Seth Hanson’s game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expired. The 39-36 victory was Kentucky’s first road win over a ranked SEC team since 1977.

One Final Shoot Out at Commonwealth Stadium

Bleachers filled the Commonwealth Stadium end zones when Kentucky fans stormed the field for the 1997 win over Alabama. Two years later those were gone, thanks to Tim Couch. Crowds nearly doubled, forcing UK Athletics officials to expand the stadium, fill in the end zones and add suites. He rewarded the Big Blue Nation with an exclamation point.

The final home game for the First Team All-American served as a coronation. The Wildcats ate a 50-Burger and the Kentucky quarterback completed 83% of his 53 pass attempts, a new NCAA record. Couch tossed five touchdown passes and threw for 492 yards. The 55-17 victory over Vanderbilt gave Kentucky its first seven-win season since 1984 and punched the Cats’ ticket to the Outback Bowl.