» S • o r t s Erik
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Tamme Earns Honors On And Off The Field
by Kelli Ela m
When ]acob Tamme committed to play football for the Univer- speaking again, lt was just really a privilege for me to be in a room
sity of Kentucky, he had deHnite go als in mind, Now that his col- representing the University of Kentucky with so many people that
legiate career is over, Tamme can look back and know that he 1 admire,
achieved those goals and then some, Having completed his bachelor’s degree in integrated strategic
Tamme was part of a senior class that helped change the national communications, Tamme, a Danville native, is now in the second
perception of the UK football program, Tamme, an All-S EC tight year of study for his master’s degree in business administration, He
end, helped Kentucky to back-to-back bowl wins for only the sec- is married to the former Allison Elmore,
ond time in school history and the Hrst time in 56 years, since the Other awards include the Hfth amaual Bobby Bowden Award,
1950-51 seasons, given by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (ECA), This honor
“Whenever 1 think about all ofthe things we have accomplished recognizes the Division 1 football player who epitomizes a student-
the past couple of years, the thingl am most i .
proud ofis the fact that Kentucky now ex- i · " "~ i   : . ‘_ _   ·‘ , it
pects to win every game? Tamme said, “We _ S _i lz     ‘}*· · ,_ ,i· .;
are no longer satisHed to play well, but lose, .   "       .i , ,;  
We are only satisHed by winning games, We  Q-· T" Q  ls  ig   .l$l*#
knew that SEC powers such as Elorida, Geor- A Q         ·’   **~·
gl§1, TCHHCSSCC, {Ind   WCIC not going to lh       _  31*2 , T r~ _ g
Come down, We knew that we had to raise our   " K   *   ga; E T   TTI ‘ i   i
level of play,” if "·    ·~   C? Z , ~     l
Before getting to campus, Tamme recalls »       », is   ii-» ,;
buying an TSPN College Game D4)/” key     '  
chain, his favorite TV program, and dreaming  l  
of the day when the popular college football , · f  
show would come to Lexington, That dream ` T " "`l >
became reality this past season when “Gezme ii i 4 V 5
D4)/”bro adcast live from the lawn ofthe ` er —
William T, Young Library prior to the \ ` _ /  i ., `  
Elorida/ UK football game, E si Q i il I M
“1 remember being in Orlando, Ela,, and .     » _ T, `
buying the key chain, 1 told everyone that 1   i _     l 5 ` 4 Z
was going to keep it on my key ring until the " l= - -*_   J ~
show came to Lexington, Some people   ~ A   7 j J
laughed at me, but 1 kept it on there, lwas so - i       {_ l · l l
excited when it Hnall ha ened,” · `" __  T ’ ° C ‘· g W,
Tamme has received nulhhlerous honors for K  T ’ gl MJ.:
his Oh_ihC_hcid iichicvcmchisi such as hishiciim University of Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme (with trophy) was selected as the re-
Ah_SEC Pick Cach Ofihc hist two scasohs and is cipient of the Hfth-annual Bobby Bowden Award presented by the Fellowship of
Kchmcksps aihiimc mh Passfaichihg tight Chd_ Christian Athletes. Also present were, left to right, Rod West, president and CEO of
HOWCVCL his Pcifoimahcc ih thc Chissioom has Entergy New Orleans, Jim Tressel, Ohio State head coach; Bobby Bowden, Florida
been just as impressive He was Hamed thc Statehead coach; Les Miles, LSU head coach, and Benny Jones, FCA director of
Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete ofthe l·°ul$la"a·
Year in a vote of the league coaches, Tamme also was chosen as athlete who conducts himself as a faith model in the community
one ofthe 2007 National Scholar-Athletes by the National Eoot- “There are so many resources available to student-athletes at
ball Eoundation and College Hall of Eame and was a Hnalist for Kentucky,” Tamme said, “1 have to give credit to the CATS center,
the Draddy Award, which is awarded to the National Eootball and ofcourse, my wife Allison, She has really helped me stay fo-
Eoundation’s top scholar-athlete in the country, cused, My parents have been great also,”
Tamme was chosen to speak on behalf of all 15 Draddy Award Tamme is pursuing his dream of playing in the NEL, lf that
Hnalists at the award ceremony, He says it is something he will doesn’t work out, he knows it simply signals an opportunity to
never forget, pursue other dreams,
“What an honor that was for me? Tamme said, “That audience “1 know 1 have one shot coming out of college and 1 plan to
was full of such greats as Roger Staubach, Doug Elutie, Pete Car- make the most of it? he said, “1 have a very blessed life, We will go
roll, and Steve Spurrier, 1 thought to myself if 1 can do this then 1 wherever the Lord takes us,”
can do anything, 1 don’t think 1 will ever be nervous about public
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