Hal Mumme

The season highlight was a win over #20 Alabama, a team Kentucky had not beaten since 1922.

Led by sophomore quarterback Tim Couch, Kentucky's offense set multiple school, SEC and NCAA records.

Hal Clay Mumme (born March 29, 1952) is a former American football coach and former player.

He most recently served as an offensive advisor for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL.

Previously, Mumme served as the head football coach at Iowa Wesleyan College, Valdosta State University, the University of Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana University, New Mexico State University, McMurry University, and Belhaven University.

Mumme is known for being one of the founders of the air raid offense.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Mumme played football as a receiver for Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas, Texas, going on after graduation to play at New Mexico Military Institute and at Tarleton State University.

While an undergraduate, he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity.

Mumme's coaching career began as the offensive coordinator at Foy H. Moody High School in Corpus Christi, Texas from 1976 through 1978.

In 1979, he was the head coach at Aransas Pass High School.

Mumme was an assistant coach (quarterbacks and receivers) under Bill Yung at West Texas State University in 1980 and 1981, offensive coordinator also under Yung at UTEP from 1982 through 1985, and head coach at Copperas Cove High School from 1986 through 1988.

During his time as a high school and college assistant coach Mumme developed an unorthodox, pass-oriented offensive attack that proved very successful at moving the ball, gaining yardage and scoring points.

The unusual attack, utilizing short passes to multiple receivers and backs out of the backfield, allowed Mumme's teams to compete against more talented and athletic opponents.

BYU head coach LaVell Edwards was a major influence on Mumme's offensive strategy.

In 1989, Mumme became head coach at Iowa Wesleyan College.

Mumme finished at Iowa Wesleyan with a 25–10 record and was the NAIA District Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1991.

Mumme's 1990 team led the nation in passing offense and the 1989 and 1991 squads finished second nationally in that category.

While finishing 7–4 in his first season, he eventually led the team to the national quarterfinals in 1991, the first playoff appearance in the school's history.

Mumme took over as head coach at Valdosta State University in 1992.

Mumme's record at Valdosta State was 40–17–1.

In both 1994 and 1996 he led the team to the NCAA Division II playoff quarterfinals; Valdosta State had never made the playoffs previously.

In 1994 Valdosta State defeated the University of Central Florida 31–14, an upset over the team picked by Sports Illustrated in the preseason to win the NCAA Division I-AA national football championship.

Quarterback Chris Hatcher won the Harlon Hill Award as player of the year in NCAA Division II football.

The team was consistently ranked in the Division II top 20 and was ranked #1 in the nation in Division II for part of the 1996 season when they won their first Gulf South Conference championship.

On December 2, 1996, the University of Kentucky announced that it had hired Mumme to replace Bill Curry as head coach of its football program.

Kentucky had gone 9–24 (.273) through the prior three years.

In Mumme's first year the team improved to a 5–6 record.

In 1998 Kentucky won its season opener against Louisville at the christening of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium by the lopsided score of 68–34.

Kentucky improved to 3–0 with wins over Eastern Kentucky University and Indiana and was ranked #25 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.

Losses to #8 Florida and at #22 Arkansas followed.

Kentucky then defeated South Carolina and #21 LSU.

A close loss to Georgia on a missed last-second field goal was followed by victories over eventual SEC West champion Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.

At 7–3 and ranked #25 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, Kentucky then lost its regular season finale at Tennessee.

Tim Couch was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

Kentucky then played in the Outback Bowl, Kentucky's first New Year's Day bowl in 47 years.

Despite jumping out to a 14–3 lead, Kentucky lost to Penn State, 26–14.

Couch elected to forgo his senior season and enter the 1999 NFL Draft, where the Cleveland Browns selected him with the #1 overall pick.

In 1999 Kentucky finished the regular season 6–5 before losing the 1999 Music City Bowl to Syracuse, 20–13.

Season highlights included victories over #20 Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Indiana.

The 2000 Wildcats dropped to 2–9, with victories against only South Florida and Indiana.