Maybe 2021 will finally be
the year for Tim Couch.
The big right arm that led Hal Mumme's Air Raid to the Outback Bowl is once again on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot. It's nothing new to the Hyden, KY native. He's appeared on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot every year since 2014.
Will voters finally come around and send Couch into the hall? His resume speaks for itself.
- 97/98 Stats: 763-1100 (69.3%), 8,159 yards (370.9 per game), 7.1 yards per attempt, 73 TD, 34 INT
- NCAA Leader in Completions in 97 and 98; SEC Leader in every passing stat in 97-98
- Fourth in the 1998 Heisman Trophy voting.
- 1998 Consensus First Team All-American
- 1998 SEC Player of the Year
- Ended his career with seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records, and 26 school records.
The numbers are impressive. For better or worse, Hall of Fame careers aren't made from numbers alone (even though it is what's wrongly keeping out Howard Schnellenberger, but that's
a conversation for another day). Some of it has to do with the competition on the lengthy ballot that features just under 200 players and coaches. Momentum also plays a significant role. Joe Burrow's historic 2019 campaign should boost the credibility for a trail blazer of the spread offense, like Couch.
If voters finally wise up and put Couch in the Hall of Fame, he'll be the sixth Wildcat enshrined, following Bob Gain, Steve Meilinger, Lou Michaels, Babe Parilli and Art Still. The voting deadline is July 7, followed by the announcement of the class in early 2021.
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