By LARRY VAUGHT

For as long as I have known him, Jacob Tamme has been Big Blue through and through. Even after playing nine years in the NFL and now being retired for two years, he’s still as true to BBN as he was when he played at Kentucky and became an all-Southeastern Conference tight end.

He will be game captain for Saturday’s home game against Tennessee-Martin.

The former Boyle County star was a consensus first-team All-SEC tight end as a junior and senior. His career totals featured 133 catches for 1,417 yards, most ever by a UK tight end, along with 11 touchdown receptions.

He went on to play nine NFL seasons with Indianapolis, Denver and Atlanta and each of those teams reached the Super Bowl while Tamme was on the roster.

He spoke to the team earlier this year and is a big believer in what coach Mark Stoops is doing at UK.

Danville will have another special connection for Saturday’s game. The “Lift Them Up” Kid of the Game, representing Kentucky Children’s Hospital, is 15-year-old Rosa Espinoza from Danville.

In September 2018, Rosa had a stroke due to a very rare condition, Takayasu’s arteritis (tah-kah-YAH-sooz) and had to undergo intense rehabilitation. Every day she continues to get stronger and overcome obstacles that come her way.