Todd Knight was named the 2025 D2football.com National Coach of the Year.

He won the South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career, leading the Wolves to a school record 12 victories and engineered the greatest postseason run in school history, guiding the Wolves to three NCAA Division 2 playoff victories and a spot in the national semifinals.

Knight won his 100th career game in memorable fashion as the Wolves rallied from down 21-0, 35-28 and 42-35 to defeat Wingate 43-42 in overtime on a successful two point conversion October 4.

The Wolves finished #4 (AFCA) and #5 (D2football.com) in the final national polls, the best ever for a Newberry College team.

He is the winningest coach in Newberry College history, the leader amongst active South Atlantic Conference coaches and the fourth winningest in league history with a career record of 108-77.

Knight also ranks fourth in SAC history with 74 league victories and owns a 74-49 mark in conference games for a winning percentage of .602.

He has been a consistent contender in the SAC finishing in the top four in the league standings 11 times in 17 seasons.

Knight has also been on the staff for every Newberry College NCAA playoff team, leading the Wolves to the NCAA postseason five times as head coach and once as defensive coordinator.

This season quarterback Reed Charpia was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Year, earned honorable mention All-America honors and finished sixth in the Harlon Hill voting, the best ever finish for a Newberry College player.

The Wolves tied a school record with a 10-game winning streak which wasn't broken until the national semifinals.  They were also unbeaten on the road until the semifinals stringing together six consecutive victories including a win at top region seed Albany State in the national quarterfinals, #2 region seed West Florida in the NCAA second round, UVA Wise, Lenoir-Rhyne, Tusculum and Anderson.

The 12 wins are the most in school history, eclipsing the previous record of 11-2 set by the 2006 team and became the fourth team in Newberry College history to register double digit victories in a season (2025, 2021, 2016, 2006).

The Wolves were 9-0 in one score games and in eight of those nine games the Wolves scored the decisive points in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Newberry also rallied to win three games after trailing by at least 18 points; the national quarterfinal win at Albany State (21-3), Wingate (21-0) and Emory & Henry (21-3).  The Wolves came from behind eight times to earn a victory in 2025.

Newberry also posted a perfect 6-0 record against teams ranked in the final Super Region 2 poll defeating #1 Albany State, #2 West Florida, #4 Wingate, #6 Kentucky State, #9 Emory & Henry and #10 Carson-Newman.

Linebacker Mikey Blandin (AP second team, Don Hansen/D2football.com honorable mention), wide receiver Keith Desaussure (AP second team, Don Haensen/D2football.com honorable mention) and center Davion Pyles (Don Hansen second team) also earned All-America honors.

Knight established himself as the school's all-time win leader back on September 25, 2021 by notching his 73^rd win in a 24-19 contest over Tusculum in front of the home crowd.

The 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2025 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year has a .584 winning percentage, good for second in school history among coaches with 10 or more games at the helm.

Career Highlights: Overview

• 5 playoff appearances (2013, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025)
• 2025 D2football.com National Coach of the Year
• 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2025 South Atlantic Conference championship
• 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2025  SAC Coach of the Year
• 4th in SAC history in career and league wins
• 4 former players have played in the NFL since 2014
• In his head coaching career at Newberry, has coached:
  • 3 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist
  • 5 SAC Players of the Year
  • 24 All-American selections
  • 44 All-Region selections
  • 116 All-SAC selections
  • 5 National Players of the Week
  • 50 SAC Players of the Week
  • 3 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections
  • 27 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections