22 Great Memories of No. 22: Looking Back at Lorenzen’s Career

On July 3, the Big Blue Nation learned of the untimely passing of Kentucky quarterback legend Jared Lorenzen. Beloved by both fans and former teammates, there was immediate sadness in the Bluegrass. Along with the sadness, there has been an overwhelming recollection of the great times and personal qualities that made Lorenzen so beloved. As a result, and in honor of his unique jersey number, we will be sharing with you 22 great plays and performances over his illustrious collegiate career. Included is our countdown of his top 10 individual performances as Kentucky’s signal caller, as well as a dozen of his touchdown passes that are of historical significance. Enjoy this look back at Lorenzen’s special, record-breaking career in the Blue and White.

Top 10 individual performances

No. 10: Oct. 19, 2002 at Arkansas
In Kentucky’s first ever road win against the Razorbacks, and the second SEC road win of his career, Lorenzen steadied the Wildcat offense in their 29-17 victory. He completed over 61% of his passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while throwing no interceptions.  

No. 9: Sep. 2, 2000 at Louisville
It did not take long for Kentucky football fans to realize the potential of Lorenzen. In his first collegiate game, he completed nearly 65% of his passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. In terms of passing efficiency rating this was Lorenzen’s best game of his freshman campaign. The three touchdown passes are still tied for the most in a single game by a freshman in school history. The Wildcats fell short of victory though, losing to the Cardinals 40-34 in overtime.

No. 8: Oct. 25, 2003 vs. Mississippi State
In arguably his best game of Lorenzen’s senior season, he led the Wildcats in a furious comeback to soundly defeat the Bulldogs 42-17. Kentucky amazingly scored 42 unanswered points after trailing Mississippi State 17-0 in the second quarter. At the time this tied the largest comeback in school history. Lorenzen fueled the comeback with his precision passing, tying his season high with a 66.7% completion percentage. He threw for 256 yards and one touchdown, with his 170 passing efficiency rating his highest against an SEC opponent since his sophomore season.

No. 7: Sep. 16, 2000 vs. Indiana
Lorenzen led the Wildcats to victory after trailing their opponent by double digits in his freshman season as well. Kentucky defeated the Hoosiers 41-34 after trailing Indiana 20-7 in the second quarter. Once again the comeback was fueled by his stellar performance as the signal caller, completing over 68% of his passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions thrown.

No. 6: Sep. 21, 2002 vs. Middle Tennessee State
In the most accurate game of his collegiate career, Lorenzen led the Wildcats to a convincing 44-22 victory over the Blue Raiders. He set a career high in completion percentage, connecting on 71% of his passes. This was also his only 300-yard passing game of his junior season, with Lorenzen going for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

No. 5: Sep. 7, 2002 vs. UTEP
Lorenzen had his most efficient game of his collegiate career in a blowout victory, routing the Miners 77-17. The 77 points scored and the 60-point win were the largest for the Wildcats since 1950. The 260.1 passing efficiency rating was by far the best of his career. Although he did not throw the ball much, only 17 attempts, he made the defense pay when he did. Of his 10 completions, half resulted in a touchdown, with an average of 21.1 yards per completion, the highest of his career. Kentucky had a quick-strike offense, scoring in four plays or less on each of the drives that ended in a Lorenzen touchdown pass.

No. 4: Nov. 1, 2003 vs. Arkansas
In an instant classic that seemed to go on forever, Lorenzen left it all on the field, but the Wildcats came up just short in a seven-overtime loss to the Razorbacks, 71-63. This game is still the longest in school history, as well as the most combined points scored in a single game in school history. In the only 300-yard passing game of his senior season, Lorenzen completed over 57% of his passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns. His last touchdown pass, with 1:38 remaining in the fourth quarter, sent the game into overtime. But it was his legs that were just as impressive as his arm that night, setting career highs in both rushing attempts (15) and rushing touchdowns (three). All three of his rushing touchdowns came in the overtime periods.

No. 3: Nov. 17, 2001 vs. Tennessee
In a near upset over a nationally ranked Volunteers squad, Lorenzen did a little bit of everything in a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to No. 6 Tennessee. In his third and final 400-yard passing game of his career, Lorenzen completed over 64% of his throws for 406 yards and four touchdowns. His legs aided in this special performance, and in more ways than one. He had 13 rushing attempts for 52 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. But if that wasn’t enough, he took a stab at special teams as well, booting a 41-yard punt. The 66 total offensive plays are the most in a single game in his collegiate career.

No. 2: Nov. 10, 2001 at Vanderbilt
In his first career road win and first career win against an SEC opponent, Lorenzen tore through the Commodores defense in a convincing 56-30 victory over Vanderbilt. His six touchdown passes were a career high as he became, at the time, only the second quarterback in school history to accomplish that feat (Tim Couch reached that mark three times). Three of those career-high six touchdown passes were at least 43 yards. Lorenzen also had many second best performances of his collegiate career in this game, with his 70.3% completion percentage, 453 passing yards, and 226.6 passing efficiency rating. The 56 points scored are the most ever for Kentucky in an SEC road game.

No. 1: Oct. 21, 2000 vs. Georgia
With a stat line that gave the impression the game was played on a video game console, Lorenzen set numerous school and personal records in a tough loss against the Bulldogs, 34-30. His stat line read as so: 39 completions, 58 attempts, 528 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. The 528 passing yards are a school single-game record that still stands to this day. The 39 completions were a career high for him, with the 58 attempts the second most in a single game for Lorenzen. The 67.2% completion percentage was also the fourth best in a single game in his collegiate career. He had almost half of his passing yards, 250, on just three completions. One of those long completions was an 89-yard connection with tight end Derek Smith on the Wildcats’ first play from scrimmage, the third-longest pass play in school history. But it was his no-look, behind-the-back pass to running back Derek Homer in the fourth quarter that wowed the crowd most of all.

A dozen touchdown passes to remember

Touchdown pass No. 1: Sep. 2, 2000 at Louisville

• The first touchdown pass is always special, as Lorenzen achieved that feat in his first collegiate game. He connected with Dougie Allen on a 34-yard score with 13:26 remaining in the first quarter.

Touchdown pass No. 3: Sep. 2, 2000 at Louisville

• Lorenzen’s third touchdown pass of his collegiate debut, a 67-yard bomb to Quentin McCord with 8:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, set a school record for most touchdown passes in a single game by a freshman. He would tie his own record the very next week against South Florida. Morgan Newton has since tied the record as well, against Georgia on Nov. 21, 2009.

Touchdown pass No. 9: Sep. 23, 2000 at Florida

• With his eight-yard score to Derek Smith with 3:51 remaining in the second quarter, Lorenzen set the school record for most touchdown passes in a single season by a freshman. The previous record of eight was held by Larry McCrimmon, set in 1978.

Touchdown pass No. 13: Oct. 21, 2000 vs. Georgia

• Lorenzen threw a short pass to speedster Ernest Simms and let him do the rest, resulting in an 86-yard score with 14:31 remaining in the third quarter. That, at the time, was the fourth-longest touchdown pass in school history. It is now the fifth longest.

Touchdown pass No. 14: Oct. 21, 2000 vs. Georgia

• On yet another short pass, Lorenzen connected with McCord, who broke a tackle and raced to the end zone for a 75-yard scoring strike. He remains the only quarterback in school history to have two touchdown passes of at least 75 yards in the same game.

Touchdown pass No. 19: Nov. 18, 2000 at Tennessee

• With a 21-yard touchdown score to McCord with 14:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lorenzen ended his freshman campaign with 19 touchdown passes. That remains the school record for most touchdown passes in a single season by a freshman to this day.

Touchdown pass No. 32: Nov. 10, 2001 at Vanderbilt

• With 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lorenzen threw a 28-yard score to Tommy Cook, his sixth touchdown pass of the contest. He became just the second quarterback in school history, joining Tim Couch, to throw at least six touchdown passes in a single game. Andre’ Woodson has since accomplished the feat as well.

Touchdown pass No. 47: Sep. 14, 2002 vs. Indiana

• On the first play of the fourth quarter, Lorenzen dumped off a six-yard touchdown pass to Chase Harp with 14:54 remaining in the game. That touchdown gave Kentucky a 21-17 lead that they did not give up. It was the only game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of his collegiate career.

Touchdown pass No. 59: Nov. 9, 2002 vs. LSU

• With a 43-yard strike to Aaron Boone with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter, Lorenzen had thrown a touchdown pass in 16 consecutive games. That was the longest streak of his career and, at the time, the second-longest such streak in school history. Tim Couch set the record with a touchdown pass in 22 consecutive games, spanning the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Andre’ Woodson has since surpassed that mark, throwing a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games between the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Touchdown Pass No. 62: Nov. 9, 2002 vs. LSU

• Yet another deep scoring connection with Boone, 44 yards with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, was the 24th and final touchdown pass for Lorenzen of his junior season. That was a career high for him for a single season, and at the time the fourth-most touchdown passes in a single season in school history. That total is now the sixth most in a single season in school history.

Touchdown Pass No. 75: Oct. 25, 2003 vs. Mississippi State

• With 12:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lorenzen connected with Derek Abney on a 53-yard score. That was the 75th touchdown pass for him, breaking the school record for most career touchdown passes, previously held by Tim Couch. That record has since been broken by Andre’ Woodson in 2007.

Touchdown Pass No. 78: Nov. 15, 2003 at Vanderbilt

• As special as the first touchdown pass, the last touchdown pass is just as meaningful. With just 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Lorenzen threw an 11-yard touchdown scored to Chris Bernard. That was the 78th and final touchdown pass of his collegiate career.