Tim Couch was the first big beneficiary of the Air Raid offense.
Under the guidance of coach Hal Mumme and offensive coordinator Mike Leach, Couch achieved national attention as the quarterback at Kentucky. Couch ranked second in the nation in passing yardage twice, throwing for 3,884 yards in 1997 and 4,275 yards in ’98, leading the Browns to select him No. 1 in the 1999 NFL draft.
However, he didn’t quite live up to the expectations of a No. 1 pick, which is somewhat understandable considering he was playing for a de facto expansion team in the Browns, who rejoined the NFL in 1999.