LEXINGTON, Ky. – Former University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch is on the 2021 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation, or NFF, and College Hall of Fame has announced. Couch is one of 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks on the ballot.
“It's an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.4 million people have played college football and only 1,027 players have been inducted,” said Steve Hatchell, NFF president and CEO. “The Hall's requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in this elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game."
A native of Hyden, Kentucky, Couch was one of the top prospects in the nation while attending Leslie County High School. He broke the national high school passing record his senior year and went on to be UK’s quarterback from 1996-98.
After giving up his senior season of eligibility, he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1999 NFL draft. Couch was named a first-team All-American and consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year his junior year at Kentucky in 1998 after completing 400-of-553 passes for 4,275 yards and 36 touchdowns and led the nation in pass completions while ranked No. 2 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 voting. He was also a finalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award as a sophomore and junior. 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.
Couch completed 795 passes on 1,184 attempts for 8,435 yards and 74 touchdowns during his college career, garnering seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records and 26 school records.
The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include being selected as a First-Team All-American by a selector recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams. A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation's Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football. Post-football achievements as a citizen are also considered, with the eligibility requirements stating, “He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community.”
Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether the candidate earned a college degree.
Voting for the players on this year’s ballot ended July 7, and the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7, 2021, at the New York Hilton Midtown. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the 2021 season.
Click here to see the full list of players and coaches on the 2021 ballot.
Reflecting on Tim Couch's Record-Setting 1998 Season
From ukathletics.com
Couch had a remarkable 1998 season, during which he rewrote the school record book, ending with a New Year's Day bowl game and a top-four finish in Heisman Trophy voting. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Couch's historic junior campaign, let's look back at five of his best individual performances and 10 touchdown passes to remember from that 1998 season.
Sep. 5, 1998, at Louisville
Couch couldn't have asked for a better way to start the season, christening Louisville's new Papa John's Cardinal Stadium with a 68-34 blowout victory over Kentucky's intrastate rival. He was nearly flawless, posting his highest passing efficiency rating of the season, 240.85. Couch broke his own school records for most total offense and most passing yards in a single game, 498. He also tied his own school and SEC record for most touchdown passes in a single game with seven. Couch also displayed his big-play ability, throwing three touchdown passes of at least 48 yards while averaging 17.2 yards per completion, his most that season.
Sep. 26, 1998, at Florida
Although the Wildcats lost to the Gators in a high-scoring affair, 51-35, Couch put up more great numbers to keep Kentucky competitive throughout the contest. Late in the first quarter, he provided perhaps his most exciting pass of the season, connecting with senior wide receiver Craig Yeast on a 97-yard touchdown, the longest pass completion in school history. Couch added his name to the record book a few more times during the game, breaking Bill Ransdell's school records for most career total offense, most career passing attempts and most career passing yards. About midway through the third quarter he hooked up with Yeast for another long touchdown; this time it was 74 yards. Couch ended up passing for 406 yards, 393 yards more than in his first collegiate start in Gainesville two seasons prior. To this day, it is still the most points that Kentucky has ever scored against Florida in Gainesville.
Oct. 3, 1998, at Arkansas
Once again in a losing effort, Couch provided plenty of offensive fireworks. Kentucky lost to the Razorbacks 27-20, with the Wildcats having a chance to score in the final seconds, but the throw to senior wide receiver Kevin Coleman was just past the receiver's outstretched hands. Couch probably needed to ice his right shoulder after the game as he set both school and SEC records for most passing completions, 47, and most passing attempts, 67, in a single game. Couch also broke his own school record for most passing yards in a single game with 499. He also was on a bit of a hot streak, throwing a touchdown pass in five consecutive quarters, that ended with his four-yard scoring strike to Garry Davis in the third quarter. To top it all off, Couch broke Ransdell's school record for most career total offensive plays.
Oct. 17, 1998, at LSU
In quite arguably the signature win of Couch's career with the Wildcats, he led the squad to a victory over the Tigers on a field goal made on the final play of the game by kicker Seth Hanson. He did most of his damage coming out of halftime, throwing all three of his touchdown passes in the third quarter. Couch ended up throwing for 391 yards, just shy of his fourth 400-yard passing performance through the first seven games of the season. It was Kentucky's first road win over a ranked SEC opponent since Oct. 15, 1977 at LSU. It is also the second most points that the Wildcats have ever scored against LSU, 39. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the contest.
Nov. 14, 1998, vs. Vanderbilt
In what ended up being his final home game, Couch may have saved his best for last against the Commodores. Just like in the LSU game, he threw for three touchdowns in the third quarter, this time throwing five touchdowns for the game. Kentucky ended up scoring 31 points in that third quarter, the second-most points scored by the Wildcats in a single quarter in school history, and the most since they scored 35 in the second quarter against North Dakota on Nov. 18, 1950. In a recurring theme throughout the season, Couch set many records during the game. He broke his own school single season records for most total offense, most passing completions, and most passing yards. Couch was deadly accurate in his home finale, completing 83-percent of his 53 passing attempts, setting an NCAA record for best completion percentage in a single game with at least 40 passing completions. He was also very close to having a 500-yard passing effort, throwing for 492 yards. With the win, Couch led the Wildcats to their first seven-win season since 1984.
10 TOUCHDOWN PASSES TO REMEMBER
Touchdown Pass No. 1 (Sep. 5, 1998, at Louisville)
It didn't take long for Couch to get his historic season going, hooking up with tight end James Whalen on a 56-yard bomb with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter. It was the first of many touchdown passes that season. It also gave the Wildcats the lead for good, putting Kentucky up 10-7 on their way to a 68-34 blowout win over the Cardinals.
Touchdown Pass No. 7 (Sep. 5, 1998, at Louisville)
The first play of the fourth quarter, five seconds into the final frame, Couch tied his own school and SEC record for most touchdown passes in a single game with his seventh, a 32-yard scoring connection with wide receiver Quentin McCord. With Kentucky leading the contest 55-16 after that score, he was pulled from the game after that drive.
Touchdown Pass No. 13 (Sep. 19, 1998, vs. Indiana)
Early in the fourth quarter, with 13:09 remaining in the game, Couch hooked up with running back Anthony White on a 48-yard scoring play that broke Babe Parilli's school record for most career touchdown passes, a record that stood for 47 years. It fueled Kentucky to victory over the Hoosiers, overcoming a 17-point deficit, at the time the largest comeback in school history.
Touchdown Pass No. 14 (Sep. 26, 1998, at Florida)
With 3:42 remaining in the first quarter Couch threw a pass, out of his own end zone, to Yeast that he ended up taking 97 yards for a score, resulting in the longest pass completion in school history. That thrilling play briefly gave the Wildcats the lead over the Gators in Gainesville, 14-7.
Touchdown Pass No. 15 (Sep. 26, 1998, at Florida)
The explosive plays weren't over yet for Couch against the Gators, hooking up yet again with Yeast on a 74-yard touchdown pass with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter. It was his fourth career touchdown pass of at least 74 yards.
Touchdown Pass No. 29 (Nov. 7, 1998, vs. Mississippi State)
This was perhaps Couch's most improbable touchdown pass of his junior season. With 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, and the Wildcats clinging to a slim one-point lead over the Bulldogs, he best displayed his athletic ability. While trying to avoid a sack, Couch, off balance and falling backwards, threw the ball up for grabs in the end zone in the direction of Yeast. Yeast miraculously came down with the six-yard score, sealing the 37-29 win for Kentucky, making the Cats bowl eligible for the first time since 1993.
Touchdown Pass No. 33 (Nov. 14, 1998, vs. Vanderbilt)
With 5:50 remaining in the third quarter Couch connected with Yeast for yet another long touchdown score, this time 74 yards to double up the Commodores' score, 34-17. It was his fifth, and final, career touchdown pass of at least 74 yards.
Touchdown Pass No. 34 (Nov. 14, 1998, vs. Vanderbilt)
Couch threw what ended up being his final touchdown pass in his home stadium, a 32-yard score to Garry Davis with 1:36 remaining in the third quarter. It was his third touchdown pass of the third quarter, a quarter in which the Wildcats scored 31 points on their way to a 55-17 rout over Vanderbilt.
Touchdown Pass No. 36 (Nov. 21, 1998, at Tennessee)
With the game well out of reach, the No. 1 ranked Volunteers ahead of the Wildcats 59-14 prior to the play, Couch completed the 74th and final touchdown pass of his collegiate career. Ironically it was one of his shortest touchdown passes of his career, a three-yard toss to Lance Mickelsen with 4:16 left in the fourth quarter.
Touchdown Pass No. 38 (Jan. 1, 1999, vs. Penn State)
The NCAA did not count bowl game performances toward an individual's statistical records until the 2002 season, so technically Couch's last touchdown pass came against Tennessee in late November. But, in reality, his true last touchdown pass of his career in a Wildcat jersey came early in the Outback Bowl against the Nittany Lions. With 3:51 remaining in the first quarter, Couch tossed a 16-yard scoring strike to White, giving the Wildcats their biggest lead of the game at 14-3. Kentucky ended up losing the Outback Bowl to Penn State, 26-14.