Trent McKnight enters his fourth year as a full-time member of the Samford football coaching staff. McKnight coaches the team’s tight ends and slot receivers. He spent the 2014 season coaching the Bulldogs’ wide receivers. For his first two years on staff, McKnight coached the team’s tight ends and slot receivers.
In 2014, McKnight coached first team All-SoCon wide receiver Karel Hamilton. That season, Hamilton led the team with 55 catches for 877 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2012, tight end Tony Philpot was named to the 2012 SoCon All-Freshman team, and Zeke Walters earned All-Conference recognition in 2013.
McKnight is a 2010 Samford graduate and former player and student assistant with the Bulldogs.
McKnight came to Samford after working as the wide receivers coach at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Ga., in 2011. In addition to coaching the wide receivers, McKnight recruited the states of Alabama, Georgia and Florida for GMC.
Prior to working at Georgia Military, McKnight worked as a student assistant for the defense at
Samford while working on his bachelor’s degree from 2008 to 2010. McKnight worked with the safeties in 2008 and 2009, and the linebackers in 2010. He also helped out with the running backs during the spring of 2010.
During his previous stint with the Samford staff, McKnight was also responsible for the scout team offense and special teams. He also was in charge of film breakdown and self-scout analysis, and he assisted with scouting reports, playbooks and teaching tapes. McKnight also assisted with on-campus recruiting for the Bulldogs.
From January to November of 2008, McKnight coached the cornerbacks at Oak Mountain High School. In addition to coaching the cornerbacks, he also coached the kickoff coverage team and he assisted with game-planning, film breakdown and scouting reports.
McKnight served as a recruiting intern at the University of Alabama from December 2007 to January 2008. He assisted with the evaluation process for prospective student-athletes for the Crimson Tide.
McKnight earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Samford in December 2010. He played on the Samford team as a safety, while also contributing on special teams in 2006 and 2007.
McKnight and his wife, Ashley, a Samford graduate, reside in the Birmingham area.
