LEXINGTON, Ky. — One of the most famous quarterbacks ever to play football at the University of Kentucky is going into the College Football Hall of Fame.

What You Need To Know

  • Former UK quarterback Tim Couch is elected to the College Footall Hall of Fame

  • Couch joins 18 other former college players and three coaches going into the Hall of Fame

  • He played at UK from 1996-1998

  • He returned to Kentucky after his professional career

Tim Couch, the All-America record-setting quarterback, will be inducted at the National Football Foundation Awards Dinner in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 10.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame made the announcement Monday, Jan. 8 on ESPN.

Couch said, “I’m honored and humbled. This is an unbelievable honor. I’m blown away by it. I’m really excited for the celebration this year, representing Kentucky and doing my best to do that.”

The Hyden, Kentucky native, played for UK from 1996 through 1998. He played in seven games his freshman year, but exploded during his sophomore and junior years at the school. Couch wowed fans in part because of Coach Hal Mumme’s “Air Raid” offense.

During his time at UK, 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.

Couch has been nominated for the College Hall of Fame several times in the past, first in 2019.

After his junior year, Couch declared for the National Football League Draft and was the overall No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Browns in 1999. He played five years in Cleveland, leading the team to the 2002 NFL playoffs. Injuries ended his career after the 2003 season.

After retiring from the NFL, Couch came back to Lexington. He remains involved with UK football program. When the school renovated the Nutter Training Center practice complex, Couch gave back to his alma mater. The “Tim Couch Practice Fields” were named in his honor.

Couch served as an adviser to Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart during the selection process that brought chose Mark Stoops to coach UK football. Stoops is the seventh-longest active coach in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.

Couch joins several other Wildcats in the College Football Hall of Fame, including Paul “Bear” Bryant (UK coach 1946-53), tackle Bob Gain (1947-50), quarterback Vito “Babe” Parilli (1949-51), end Steve Meilinger (1951-53), tackle Lou Michaels (1955-57) defensive end Art Still (1974-77) and Jerry Claiborne, who played at UK in 1946, ’48-49 and was head coach of the Cats from 1982-89.  Bernie Shively, who was athletics director at UK from 1938-67 and was head coach of the football team in 1945, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of his playing days at Illinois. 

His induction into the College Football Hall of Fame is just the latest in a long line of accolades for Couch, which includes:

  • (state of) Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame

  • University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame

  • Jersey has been retired by the University of Kentucky

  • Selected as a Living Legend of the SEC

  • National High School Hall of Fame

 Couch, who has two sons, Chase and Brady, lives in Lexington and is co-owner of Meridian Wealth Management. 

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