Tim Couch on Will Levis: "He reminds me so much of myself 25 years ago"

In 1997, Tim Couch pumped life back into Kentucky Football alongside Hal Mumme. Twenty-five years later, the football Cats are reaching new heights under Mark Stoops and another hotshot quarterback, Will Levis. There are many differences between where the program was then and where it is now — a contrast as sharp as the flashy Air Raid to the steady, trenches-first build under Stoops — but one thing remains the same: a big quarterback with a strong arm ready to lead the Cats into the spotlight. That parallel drew Couch to the training facility a few weeks ago to see Levis in action.

“I was out there watching him throw to some of the new receivers. Dane Key was over there and a couple of other young guys were out and they were just working,” Couch told KSR this week. “I kind of just sat back and leaned against the goal post and just watched him throw for about 30 minutes.”

Couch is no stranger to the program these days. A Lexington resident, he keeps a close eye on the Cats and is thrilled by their success under Stoops (more on that later). Couch has seen Levis play in games, both in person and on television, but as buzz continues to build that the current QB1 could be a top-ten draft pick, the former No. 1 draft pick wanted a closer look.

“It’s different when you’re down on the field level right next to somebody watching them throw and you can see how the ball comes out of their hand and the timing they have, throwing certain routes. Stuff like that. It was really cool to see his ability to throw the football up close and in person rather than just watching on TV. That was really fun.”

In watching Levis, Couch couldn’t help but see a bit of himself.

“Just the look in his eyes, the determination, the work ethic he has right now, the leadership that he has and the leadership role he has accepted in the program and just trying to motivate guys, to push guys to work hard this summer is just really, really cool and it just reminds me so much of myself 25 years ago.“

Mark Stoops was also on the field that day and noticed a different kind of resemblance.

“He’s a big, strong guy,” Stoops said of Levis during an appearance on KSR last month. “The other day, he was out there and Tim happened to be out there, Tim Couch. And we all know how big Tim is. He was the No. 1 overall pick. That’s what they look like. He’s a big, strong quarterback.” 

“I’ve walked in his shoes”

Before being selected first by the Cleveland Browns in the 1999 NFL Draft, Tim Couch rewrote the Kentucky record books. After splitting time with Billy Jack Haskins as a freshman under Bill Curry, he got the starting job when Hal Mumme took over in 1997. In his sophomore year, Couch threw for 3,884 yards and 37 touchdowns. As a junior, he completed 400 passes for 4,275 yards and 36 touchdowns and was named First Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year, and a Heisman finalist. When he left Kentucky for the NFL, Couch held the NCAA record for completion percentage in a game (83% vs. Vanderbilt), most completions in a season (400), and career completion percentage (67.1%). His 4,275 passing yards in a single season was an SEC record until Joe Burrow broke it 20 years later.

Levis’ numbers aren’t quite as flashy (not every quarterback gets to play the Air Raid), but impressive nonetheless. In his first season at Kentucky after transferring from Penn State, Levis threw for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns, while rushing for nine more. He completed 66.0% of his passes to finish with an overall passer rating of 148.3. After throwing at Kentucky’s Pro Day this spring and getting a second look from scouts on Wan’Dale Robinson’s film, Levis’ NFL stock soared, with most major mocks predicting him to go in the top ten of next year’s draft.

Only six quarterbacks in Kentucky Football history have been drafted, two in the first round (Couch in 1999, Babe Parilli in 1952). Uniquely qualified, Couch is more than willing to help Levis through this exciting and challenging time.

“I’ve gotten a chance to know him quite a bit,” Couch said. “I just really love when I get an opportunity to talk to him because I feel like I’ve walked in his shoes. I know the pressure that he’s under, I know the goal that he has and the aspirations to get to the next level and be a first-round draft pick and what all comes with that.” 

Levis is grateful for that guidance.

“For him to go through that experience and have the knowledge of what it’s like to have the spotlight on you through that, we’ve been able to connect and share mindsets and how we were able to get through it,” Levis told KSR. “More than anything, he’s just a friend to me. He’s just someone I can talk to about that stuff and someone I can go out and golf with and escape everything else from with.”

Couch on the Levis hype: “It isn’t going to overwhelm him”

Couch has a circus around him his junior year. With social media and name, image, and likeness (NIL) now part of the equation, drowning out the noise could be even more daunting for Levis as Kentucky chases its SEC Championship dreams.

“The biggest advice I could give him would be just to stay focused on what’s the most important and that’s working hard,” Couch said. “He’s going into a brand new system this year with a new coordinator coming in so he’s got a lot to learn. You get pulled in so many different directions when you’re in that position with the media and now with the NIL stuff and he’s got commercials going on and photoshoots and this and that, and there are just so many things that can distract from your time of where you actually want it to be and that’s over there working and watching film and doing all that stuff.”

“Just block out the noise,” Levis said of Couch’s message to him so far. “Don’t focus on anything that you can’t control and don’t focus on anything that isn’t immediate and isn’t something that you’re focused on or is a part of the question right now. Just focus on the team and focus on the tasks on hand.”

That’s a challenge Couch believes Levis is ready to face.

“Will is so focused from what I’ve seen and from what I’ve heard, that this stuff isn’t going to bother him. He’s very level-headed and it isn’t going to overwhelm him. Some guys I’ve seen have kind of folded a little bit under that intense spotlight like that. I don’t think Will is that type of personality. I think he’s a very tough, very hard-nosed, very determined player and I see him only getting better and better and keeping his mind in the right place and that’s working hard.”

“If you see him, he looks phenomenal right now,” Couch added of Levis. “He’s super-fit. He’s very lean and muscular. He looks ready to go. I can’t wait to watch him in the second year of this program.” 

“I really can’t believe the level that [Stoops] has gotten this program to.”

No one is more thrilled about Kentucky’s climb under Mark Stoops than Tim Couch. As someone who’s followed the program as a fan, player, and famous alum through all the ups and downs, he admitted he didn’t think this level of success and consistency was possible.

“It’s phenomenal. I’m so happy for those guys and the progress they’ve made since Coach Stoops has gotten there. From just where we were when he took over to where we are now is just unbelievable. I just sit back and I really can’t believe the level that he’s gotten this program to, where we’re consistent year in and year out. Winning eight, nine, ten games a year now in the SEC. I just didn’t really think that was possible at UK. I’ve been around UK for my whole life. Watching it as a kid. Obviously played here. I just didn’t know if we could recruit at the level we’re recruiting at right now and consistently win games.”

Stoops and Vince Marrow built the foundation for Kentucky’s rise by heading north to recruit players from the state of Ohio. As Couch pointed out, equally as impressive is how the staff has developed those guys into stars.

“We’ve had our moments throughout the years in this program. We’ve had a few great players come in, we’ve had a couple of good years here and there but there have been a lot of down years in between. But now what Stoops is building is that consistency and his ability to go out and recruit and put staffs together that are great recruiters but more importantly they are great developers of talent. They get guys on campus and they develop them and we’ve got a ton of guys in the NFL that are doing fantastic right now and that only helps our program grow. Where they’re at right now is just phenomenal to see and I absolutely love it.”

How much further can Kentucky Football climb? The obvious and immediate goal is Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Couch believes if the Cats can stay healthy and adapt to Rich Scangarello’s new system, a ten or eleven-win season is possible.

“I think the hype train is getting pretty big on the program. Any time you’ve got a quarterback that’s projected to be a top-ten pick, things just kind of skyrocket for your program, where they think you can go and how many games they think you can win.

“There are still some holes to fill. We’re young in certain positions. The defensive backfield, we’ve still got to have some guys step up and play there. Have to have some young wide receivers step up and start making some plays. Even on the offensive line. Obviously, we lost a lot of great players up there, so there are a lot of guys who have to step up and fill some big shoes from the last couple of years of guys we had in those positions but I think the sky is the limit for this football team. The way they can run the football and are able to play great defense with that experienced group of linebackers they have and obviously, you have a quarterback like Will, that can be a game changer.”