Trent McKnight, widely known for his recruiting and development of premier wide receivers as a position coach and coordinator, is in his second season as Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach.
In McKnight’s first season at Georgia Tech in 2024, two Yellow Jackets — Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton, Jr. — earned all-ACC recognition. The duo combined for 118 receptions, 1,456 receiving yards and six touchdowns, with Rutherford’s team-leading 62 receptions ranking sixth in single-season school history. Rutherford’s 62 catches were also the most by a Yellow Jacket since Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson’s had 76 in 2006.
McKnight came to Georgia Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent two seasons as offensive coordinator (2022-23) following five seasons as the Panthers’ wide receivers coach (2017-21). In his time at GSU, he coached nine wideouts that earned all-Sun Belt Conference honors and three of the top five pass-catchers in program history, including Penny Hart, a five-year National Football League veteran, and Jamari Thrash, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Before coming to Atlanta, McKnight served five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Samford, starting as tight ends/inside receivers coach in 2012 and 2013, followed by pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2014 and run game coordinator and tight ends coach in 2015 and 2016. He began his collegiate coaching career in Georgia with one season as wide receivers coach at Georgia Military College (2011). He has also served as a student assistant working with defense, special teams and running backs at Samford (2009-10), an assistant coach at Oak Mountain (Ala.) H.S. and a recruiting intern at Alabama (2007-08).
McKnight and his wife, Ashley, have three sons: Beau, Brooks and Baker.
| THE TRENT McKNIGHT FILE | ||
| PERSONAL | ||
| Hometown | Birmingham, Ala. | |
| Alma Mater | Samford, 2010 | |
| Family | wife: Ashley; sons: Beau, Brooks and Baker | |
| PLAYING EXPERIENCE | ||
| 2006-07 | Samford (S) | |
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | ||
| 2007-08 | Alabama | Recruiting intern |
| 2008 | Oak Mountain (Ala.) H.S. | Assistant coach |
| 2009-10 | Samford | Student assistant |
| 2011 | Georgia Military College | Wide receivers |
| 2012-13 | Samford | Tight ends/inside receivers |
| 2014 | Samford | Pass game coordinator/wide receivers |
| 2015-16 | Samford | Run game coordinator/tight ends |
| 2017-21 | Georgia State | Wide receivers |
| 2022-23 | Georgia State | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks |
| 2024- | Georgia Tech | Wide receivers |
FULL BIOGRAPHY
Trent McKnight, widely known for his recruiting and development of premier wide receivers as a position coach and coordinator, is in his first season as Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach.
In McKnight’s first season at Georgia Tech in 2024, two Yellow Jackets — Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton, Jr. — earned all-ACC recognition. The duo combined for 118 receptions, 1,456 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and also added 218 rushing yards. Rutherford’s team-leading 62 receptions in ’24 ranked sixth in single-season school history were the most by a Yellow Jacket since Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson had 76 catches in 2006.
In all, Tech wideouts combined for 177 receptions, 2,218 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in McKnight’s first season as wide receivers coach.
McKnight came to Georgia Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent two seasons as offensive coordinator (2022-23) following five seasons as the Panthers’ wide receivers coach (2017-21). In his time at GSU, he coached nine wideouts that earned all-Sun Belt Conference honors and three of the top five pass-catchers in program history, including Penny Hart, a five-year National Football League veteran, and Jamari Thrash, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
In McKnight’s two seasons as GSU’s offensive coordinator, the Panthers ranked among the top 10 nationally in yards per completion in 2022 (10th – 14.4) and completion percentage in 2023 (13th – .678). Georgia State had five bowl berths and four bowl wins in his seven seasons with the program after making just one bowl appearance in school history prior to his arrival.
Before coming to Atlanta, McKnight served five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Samford, starting as tight ends/inside receivers coach in 2012 and 2013, followed by pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2014 and run game coordinator and tight ends coach in 2015 and 2016. He coached four all-Southern Conference/SoCon all-freshman team honorees in his five seasons at Samford, highlighted by Karel Hamilton, a first-team NCAA Division I FCS all-American and Samford’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches who went on to spend time with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys.
McKnight began his collegiate coaching career in Georgia with one season as wide receivers coach at Georgia Military College (2011). He has also served as a student assistant working with defense, special teams and running backs at Samford (2009-10), an assistant coach at Oak Mountain (Ala.) H.S. and a recruiting intern at Alabama (2007-08).
McKnight played safety at Samford in 2006 and 2007 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the school in 2010.
A Birmingham, Ala. native, McKnight and his wife, Ashley, have three sons: Beau, Brooks and Baker.
