LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky junior quarterback Tim Couch has chosen to enterthe 1999 National Football League draft and will forego his final season ofcollegiate eligibility.

Couch announced his decision Thursday at a news conference at the WildcatDen in Commonwealth Stadium on the UK campus.

Although a starting quarterback for only two seasons, the 6-5, 225-poundCouch is one of the most prolific and accomplished passers in collegiatefootball history.

During the 1998 season, Couch completed an NCAA-record 400 completions in553 attempts (72.3 percent), good for 4,275 yards and 36 touchdowns. Heled the nation in completions while ranking second in completionpercentage, passing yardage and touchdown passes, and fourth in totaloffense (377.4 yards per game).

Couch started the season with a bang as he threw for a then-school record498 yards and an SEC-record-tying seven touchdown passes in the 68-34 winat Louisville. He passed for 406 yards at Florida, including a 97-yardpass play to Craig Yeast that is the longest pass play in school historyand longest ever allowed by Florida.

Couch set SEC records by completing 47 of 67 passes for a school-record499 yards at Arkansas. He set an NCAA record by completing 83 percent (44of 53) against Vanderbilt for 492 yards. Couch finished the season owningfour NCAA records, 14 Southeastern Conference records, and 26 school records.

Couch was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the Davey O’Brien NationalQuarterback Award. He was consensus choice as the SEC Player of the Yearand first-team All-SEC. He won various national player of the week andleague player of the week honors following the Louisville and LouisianaState games.

Couch led the Wildcats to a 7-4 regular-season record, the team’s best in14 years. Kentucky played in a New Year’s Day bowl for the first time in47 years as the Wildcats took on Penn State in the Outback Bowl.

Couch’s sophomore season in 1997 was his breakthrough campaign and theopening game served notice of what was to come. In the first game in the”Air Raid” offense of new coach Hal Mumme, Couch threw three touchdownpasses in the first quarter. He finished with a then-school record 398yards and four TD passes as Kentucky defeated Louisville, 38-14.

In mid-season, Couch threw four touchdown passes and engineered a 40-34overtime victory over Alabama, the Wildcats’ first win over the CrimsonTide in 75 years. Additional highlights including an SEC-record-tyingseven touchdown passes at Indiana, 428 passing yards and six touchdownsagainst Northeast Louisiana, and 476 passing yards in the season finale vs.Tennessee.

For the 1997 season, Couch completed 363 of 547 passes, 66.4 percent, for3,884 yards and 37 touchdowns. He led the nation in pass completions,attempts, yardage, and completion percentage and was second in touchdowns.He finished ninth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy and was a finalistfor the O’Brien Award. As a team, the Wildcats surprised most observers bywinning five games and the Knoxville News-Sentinel called UK “the mostexciting 5-6 team in SEC history.”

Couch played sparingly as a freshman in 1996 in UK’s final season underCoach Bill Curry. He completed 32 of 84 passes for 276 yards and onetouchdown.

Couch stirred tremendous excitement in Kentucky in Feb. 1996 when, as thenation’s top-rated high-school prospect, he turned down the rest of thenation’s universities in order to sign with his home-state school.

Couch came to Kentucky as the most prolific passer in high school history. A four-year starter, he completed 872 of 1,372 passes for 12,104 yards and133 touchdowns. He set national career records for completions, passingyardage, and touchdown passes.

Here are Couch’s collegiate statistics:

Year    Comp.    Att.  Int.  Pct.    Yds.  TD1996      32       84    1   38.1   2,7611997     363      547   19   66.4   3,884  371998     400      553   15   72.3   4,275  36Totals   795    1,185   35   67.1   8,835  74