THE FLATS – Trent McKnight, widely known for his recruiting and development of premier wide receivers as a position coach and coordinator, has been named wide receivers coach at Georgia Tech, head coach Brent Key announced on Monday.
McKnight comes to Georgia Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent the last 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 is expected to be selected in the upcoming 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.
THE McKNIGHT FILE
Personal
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Family: Wife – Ashley; Children – Beau, Brooks and Baker
Alma Mater: Samford, 2010
Playing Experience (S)
2006-07: Samford
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)
Georgia Tech finished 7-6 overall and 5-3 in ACC play in 2023 (good for a tie for fourth place in the 14-team ACC) and won the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl championship with a 30-17 victory over UCF. The Yellow Jackets return 17 starters, including all-ACC honorees DL Zeek Biggers, OL Joe Fusile, RB Jamal Haynes, QB Haynes King, WR Eric Singleton, Jr. and OL Jordan Williams.
The Jackets open the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 24 against defending ACC champion Florida State at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets are available at ramblinwreck.com and official Georgia Tech travel packages are available at gt2ireland.com.
2024 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS
2024 Georgia Tech football season tickets are on sale now and include the best seats for the Yellow Jackets’ six-game home slate, which features Atlantic Coast Conference showdowns against Duke, NC State and Miami (Fla.) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field and Tech’s highly anticipated matchup with Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Season ticket packages begin at just $225. For more information and to become a season ticket member today, visit ramblinwreck.com/footballtickets.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and at www.ramblinwreck.com.
