IRVING, Texas – Kentucky and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2024 College Football Hall of Fame electee Tim Couch with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments®. The Salute will take place this Saturday, Sept. 14, during the Wildcats’ home football game against Georgia, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN+.
"Tim Couch wasn't just a great player at Kentucky; he was a game-changer who shattered records and redefined what was possible in the SEC,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Helping launch the 'Air Raid' offense at Kentucky, Couch left an indelible mark, setting seven NCAA records and leading the Wildcats to several historic wins. We are thrilled for the opportunity to honor him at Kroger Field as a member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class.”
The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program, which began with the inaugural College Football Hall of Fame Class in 1951, has become a hallowed tradition, and to this day the singular events remain the first of numerous activities in the Hall of Fame experience.
During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each electee returns to his respective school to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will stay on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many Hall of Famers cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and be recognized in front of their home crowd.
Couch was a consensus first team All-American in 1998, while claiming SEC Player of the Year honors and finishing fourth in Heisman balloting.
The Hyden, Ky., product now becomes the sixth Kentucky player to enter the Hall, joining Bob Gain (1947-50), Babe Parilli (1949-51), Steve Meilinger (1951-53), Lou Michaels (1955-57), and Art Still (1974-77). Hall of Fame coaches who headed the Kentucky program include Paul "Bear" Bryant and Jerry Claiborne.
The 2024 class includes Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), the late Paul Cameron (UCLA), Tim Couch (Kentucky), Warrick Dunn (Florida State), Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State), Deon Figures (Colorado), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh), Toby Gerhart (Stanford), Dan Hampton (Arkansas), Steve Hutchinson (Michigan), Antonio Langham (Alabama), Randy Moss (Marshall), Julius Peppers (North Carolina), Paul Posluszny (Penn State), Dewey Selmon (Oklahoma), Alex Smith (Utah), Kevin Smith (Texas A&M), Chris Ward (Ohio State), Danny Woodhead (Chadron State [NE]), and coaches Mark Dantonio (Cincinnati, Michigan State); Danny Hale (West Chester [PA], Bloomsburg [PA]); and Frank Solich (Nebraska, Ohio).
The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the National Football Foundation’s 66th Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday Dec. 10 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Click here for more information on the Awards Dinner, including options to purchase tickets online, special travel rates to the event from Delta Air Lines and hotel rates at Bellagio.
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