I take great pride in my depth of Kentucky football knowledge. Not only is it my job, but I was the kind of kid who spent his summer days thumbing through the media guide to remember stats and facts about Wildcat greats of the past. This summer, I learned you’re never too old to learn something new.
The Kentucky football program does not have a reputation around the SEC as the league’s greatest cultivator of defensive talent. History tells us otherwise.
On the all-time list of SEC career tackle leaders, Kentucky has four of the Top 10. As the sport evolves, it only solidifies their spot among the best tacklers in SEC history. Only one player on this list played after the 80s, Kentucky’s Marty Moore.
| Rank | Tackles | Player | School | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 547 | Andy Spiva | Tennessee | 1973–76 |
| 2 | 528 | Freddie Smith | Auburn | 1976–79 |
| 528 | Jeff Herrod | Ole Miss | 1984–87 | |
| 4 | 521 | Jim Kovach | Kentucky | 1974–76, 1978 |
| 5 | 482 | Chris Chenault | Kentucky | 1985–88 |
| 6 | 475 | David Little | Florida | 1977–80 |
| 475 | Jeff Kremer | Kentucky | 1984–87 | |
| 8 | 472 | Kem Coleman | Ole Miss | 1974–77 |
| 9 | 470 | Marty Moore | Kentucky | 1990–93 |
| 10 | 467 | Scot Brantley | Florida | 1976–79 |
| 467 | Ben Zambiasi | Georgia | 1974–77 | |
| 467 | Ray Costict | Mississippi State | 1973–76 |
Moore was a First Team All-SEC Selection who helped the Cats reach the Peach Bowl following the 1993 season. He holds the distinguishing honor of being the first Mr. Irrelevant in the NFL Draft to play in a Super Bowl.
Like Moore, Dr. Jim Kovach had an exceptional NFL career. Kentucky’s all-time leading tackler is one of the greatest players in the history of the New Orleans Saints. During offseasons, he went to medical school at UK. Kovach was a key cog on the UK defense that won the SEC Title in 1976. He’s truly one of one.
For years, Freddie Maggard publicly campaigned for Chris Chenault to be a part of the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. Elation is one word to describe his feelings when Chenault was a part of the 2023 class. The Henry Clay product had nearly 500 tackles during his career, which started with a Freshman All-American campaign in 1985.
Only one player on this list is not a part of the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. Jeff Kremer was a staple in the middle of Jerry Claiborne’s defenses, including the 1984 crew that won the Hall of Fame Game. It’s Kremer’s turn to be honored by the school as one of the greatest tacklers in the history of the SEC.
