Tim Couch during his College Football Hall of Fame induction. (National Football Foundation Photo)
Tim Couch was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last week and admitted it was a dream come true for a “small town kid from eastern Kentucky” to do all he has done.
The former Leslie County High School standout completed 795 passes for 8,435 yards and 74 touchdowns in his UK career. He finished his career with seven NCAA, 14 SEC and 26 school records. In his final season at UK in 1998, Couch completed an NCAA-record 72.3 percent of his passes for 4,275 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was the first pick in the 1999 NFL draft.
Couch made sure to promote the passion/support of Kentucky football fans during his induction process.
“Our fanbase at Kentucky is phenomenal. Obviously everyone knows about our basketball program and how well supported it is by our fanbase but our football program is very supported as well,” Couch said.
“When I first got to Kentucky the program was kind of down and we got it turned around. They had to put an expansion on the stadium and built new suites and completely redid the stadium. The demand for our tickets was through the roof and it was an awesome time to be there as a player.”
Couch said it was a “long wait” for the induction after he found out in January he had been selected for induction.
“You find out and then you have to wait the rest of the football season,” he said. “Then you get here with the rest of the guys and get to celebrate. I had really been looking forward to it . Some of these guys I competed against and some grew up when they were playing. To be in this Hall of Fame class is such a humbling experience for me.”
One Response
Much-deserved honor, and one of the best ever to wear the blue and white on the grid-iron. He was a once-in-a-generation-type talent, and the kind that only through them are you able to turn your program around, as he stated there. Thank you for all you did for KY FB—-love ya, DEUCE!!!