Todd Knight enters his 17th year at the helm of the Newberry program in 2025 season, having made his mark as the most successful coach in program history.
Knight signed a contract extension in the summer of 2025 which will keep at the helm through the 2031 season.
On the threshold of his 100th victory, Knight has a 96-75 overall record making him the winningest coach in school history, a feat which he accomplished with his 73rd win in a 24-19 contest over Tusculum in front of the home crowd on September 25, 2021, remaining the only 40-game winner with a winning record in the 105 years of Newberry football.
The 2016, 2021, and 2022 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year has a .574 winning percentage, good for second in school history among coaches with 10 or more games at the helm.
The Wolves’ 31 wins from 2013-16, all under Knight, are the second-most wins in a four-year period in school history. Newberry’s 32 victories from 2006-09, the final six of which came during Knight’s first season as Head Coach following six seasons as Defensive Coordinator, are the current standard-bearer.
Career Highlights: Overview
- 4 playoff appearances (2013, 2015, 2016, 2021)
- 2016, 2021, and 2022 South Atlantic Conference championship
- 2016, 2021, and 2022 SAC Coach of the Year
- 5th in SAC history in career wins, 4th in SAC history in conference wins.
- 4 former players have played in the NFL since 2014
- In his head coaching career at Newberry, has coached:
- 2 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist
- 4 SAC Players of the Year
- 20 All-American selections
- 44 All-Region selections
- 110 All-SAC selections
- 5 National Players of the Week
- 44 SAC Players of the Week
- 3 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections
- 27 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections
Year-by-Year
The 2024 season wrapped up with the Wolves finishing 3-7 on the season, with all three wins coming from SAC conference victories. The Wolves finished with one All-SAC nominee in Kicker Bryce Earley, as well as 5 All-Piedmont nominees with 3 offensive selections and two defensive.
The Wolves went 4-7 in 2023. Newberry was able to win three conference games, including the SAC opener against Emory & Henry. In an 8OT thriller, the Wolves came out on top 25-23. This game was the longest in the history of NCAA Division-2 football.
The 2022 season was a historical season as the Wolves captured a SAC Championship for the second consecutive season for the first time in program history. The Wolves posted a 9-2 overall record and a 7-2 conference record. On the year, the Wolves earned 15 all-SAC honorees, had an all-American and a Harlon Hill finalist out of Mario Anderson, and an future NFL undrafted free agent in Deshun Kitchings, who signed an UDFA deal with the Chicago Bears.
The 2021 season was the most successful season since 2016 for the Wolves as they earned their first SAC Championships since that season, posting a 7-1 record in league action during the year and an overall record of 10-3. The Wolves earned a berth to the 2021 NCAA Division II tournament and shocked the football world with at 33-30 overtime win over No. 2 West Florida in the first round to move on in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They were knocked out in the second in a tough 13-10 loss to No. 10 Bowie State. On the year the Wolves earned 13 All-SAC honorees, had one player, Anthony Blue, invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and two others invited to various other senior feature games.
The 2021 team boasted one of the best defenses in recent history, finishing the season ranked 20th nationally in yards allowed per game and 14th in scoring defense, allowing under 16 points per game. Offensively, Mario Anderson posted the second highest season total for rushing yards in program history with 1,237 yard and ranked fifth in touchdowns (12) and 100-yard games (5).
The 2020 season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the team was able to play a six-game schedule in the spring of 2021 in which Knight led his squad to a 5-1 record.
In 2019, Knight won at least five games for the ninth time in his 11 seasons as head coach. The Wolves placed four players on All-SAC teams and had four Academic All-District honorees, the 10th time in Knight's tenure the Wolves have had at least one selection and one away from the school record set in 1999 and 2017. On the field, Newberry ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing defense, had a National Player of the Week for the second straight season, and won a dramatic 37-34 overtime contest against UNC Pembroke that served as the season's high point.
Newberry's defense carried it to a 5-6 season in 2018, led by Honorable Mention All-American Jamarcus Henderson. The Wolves ranked 10th nationally in passing defense (158.4 ypg), 11th in total defense (285.0 ypg), and 13th in scoring defense (17.3 ppg).
Henderson became the second Newberry defensive lineman to be selected first team all-SAC three consecutive seasons, and finished his career ranked 20th in Division II history and second in SAC history with 62 tackles for loss. His 31 career sacks tied for 33rd in Division II history and are also second in the SAC.
Newberry fell to Western Carolina and Florida Tech to open the season before reeling off three straight wins, including a fourth win in five years over Carson-Newman. The defense had an incredible string of success that began in September, holding all 10 of its non-Division I opponents below their total offense average entering the game vs. Newberry by an average of 102 yards per game.
Wide receiver Markell Castle finished his career with 12 100-yard receiving games, tied for the most in school history, and wrapped his career in second place in every other major receiving category. Joe Blue landed in the top 10 in school history in tackles and secured a third straight all-SAC selection.
The Wolves went 5-6 in 2017, beginning SAC play with two straight league wins, tying for sixth place in league history with 12 consecutive victories in SAC games. The Wolves went 729 days between league losses in a streak that began in 2015.
Seven players were named all-South Atlantic Conference, including four first team selections, while six earned all-Eastern College Athletic Conference recognition. Senior center Dakota Mozingo was a first team all-region selection and junior defensive end Jamarcus Henderson was named to the second team.
Newberry accounted for seven conference Player of the Week awards between the SAC and ECAC. The team also retained the Bishops' Trophy with a third straight win over Lenoir-Rhyne and twice played nationally-broadcast games on ESPN3.
The Wolves' defense had multi-year streaks of 18 consecutive games without allowing a 250-yard passer and 17 games without a 100-yard receiver active during much of the 2017 season. And in perhaps the most stunning game of the year, Newberry closed 2017 with a 28-0 win over Mars Hill without completing a pass in a game that saw seven players take snaps at quarterback due to injury while the defense tied an all-time SAC record with six interceptions against the nation's sixth-ranked passing attack. Half of the Wolves' losses came by four points or less.
The Wolves also excelled in the classroom under Knight's leadership. Senior offensive lineman Sam Hall earned First Team Academic All-America honors for the second straight year, the first time in school history a student-athlete has earned multiple first team selections. Newberry tied a school record with five Academic All-District selections. And Mozingo became Newberry's first-ever football player to win the prestigious SAC Scholar-Athlete award.
Knight, the 2016 SAC Coach of the Year, was the architect of a SAC championship team that saw the Wolves tie a school record with 10 consecutive wins to close the regular season, earn a No. 2 seed in the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship, compile a perfect 7-0 conference record for the first time in school history, and play two nationally televised games.
The Wolves led the nation in punt return yardage allowed (10 returns for one total yard) and set school records for scoring (436 points), passing yards (3,536), completions (287), passing touchdowns (30), completion percentage (67.8), total offense (5,462 yards), all-purpose yards (6,496), total touchdowns (61), and sacks (37.5).
The championship marked the fourth conference crown of Knight’s career, with previous SAC titles coming in 2006 and 2008 as Newberry’s defensive coordinator and as an outside linebacker on Gardner-Webb’s 1987 team.
Quarterback Raleigh Yeldell become Newberry’s first-ever finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, pick up Offensive Player of the Year honors from both the SAC and the Eastern College Athletic Conference, and finish eighth in SAC history with a school-record 3,418 yards of total offense. The Wolves totaled a league-high 15 all-conference selections, including six on the first-team offense and nine first-team selections overall.
Newberry had three players (Yeldell, DL Jamarcus Henderson, and OL Bobby McNeil) named to various All-America teams, with five others receiving All-Super Region 2 distinction.
Additionally, offensive lineman Sam Hall was named a First Team Academic All-American and won the inaugural Elite 18 award from the SAC, which honors the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the final site of competition in each of the league's 18 sports. Hall joined Holden Beemiller on the Academic All-District team.
The 2015 Wolves finished the regular season on a four-game win streak to qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in three years. The Wolves were the seventh seed in Super Region II, dropping a first round playoff game at North Alabama.
Newberry completed the season with a record of 7-5. The Wolves also reclaimed the Bishops Trophy with a 52-14 rout at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Wolves also led the South Atlantic Conference with 11 all-conference selections. Newberry had four SAC Player of the Week, two ECAC Player of the Week and one National Player of the Week in the standout season. Evan Sobocinski was named an Academic All-District honoree for the third time, joined by Corey Dover.
In 2014, the Wolves went 5-6 and had eight all-South Atlantic Conference selections. Outside linebacker Edmond Robinson became the first Newberry player drafted to the NFL in 42 years, when he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round. A.J. Booker and Evan Sobocinski repeated as Academic All-District honorees.
In 2013, the Wolves celebrated their 100th season of intercollegiate football with one of the best seasons in the storied history of the program. Newberry finished the season with a 9-3 overall record and 5-2 South Atlantic Conference record, earning the second-ever NCAA Division II playoff berth in the program's history. Newberry earned final national rankings of No. 23 in the American Football Coaches Association poll and No. 25 in the D2Football.com poll.
Offensive lineman Jamal Ellis was named a second team All-American by D2Football.com and wide receivers Jason Livingston and Corey Washington earned honorable mention All-American from multiple publications. Three seniors played in postseason all-star games, including Washington's highlight appearance on the ESPN networks in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Newberry earned a total of 11 all-Super Region Two honors and 11 Wolves were named all-South Atlantic Conference - the most in the league.
A.J. Booker and Evan Sobocinski were named Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District, adding to the lengthy list of football student-athletes with academic honors. Newberry earned eight SAC Player of the Week honors on the performances of punter/kicker Kyle Clark (three times), wide receiver/return specialist Corey Washington as both offensive and special teams player of the week, linebackers Edmond Robinson and Mike Hopkins and quarterback W.T. Murden.
The Wolves sealed their playoff berth in late October with a win over No. 8/12 UNC Pembroke, marking Newberry's second-ever win over a top 10 team since joining the NCAA.
Also during the season, two Newberry alumni made their mark in the NFL. Cornerback Ron Parker had two interceptions, playing in all 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs and earning a "trifecta" sack/forced fumble/fumble recovery on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to seal a KC win. Tight end Brandon Bostick scored Newberry's first-ever NFL touchdown, catching a touchdown pass for the Green Bay Packers at home against Philadelphia, then performing the famous "Lambeau Leap."
In 2012, the Wolves jumped out to a 4-0 start and a No. 24 national ranking with a 47-22 win over eventual national quarterfinalist Carson-Newman. Newberry would lose its stride and finished with a 5-6 overall record and 3-4 mark in conference play. Five Wolves would go on to earn all-SAC honors.
In 2011, the Wolves went 4-6 overall with a 4-3 SAC record. That included Newberry’s first win at Carson-Newman since 1988. Linebacker Apollo Stretch earned third team All-American honors from BSN, while seven Wolves earned all-SAC honors.
In 2010, the Wolves went 4-6 overall and 3-4 in SAC play. In 2009, Knight led the scarlet and gray to a 6-4 overall record in his first season as head coach. Knight was the first Newberry head coach to record a winning season in his first year as head coach since Reed Charpia led the Indians to a 7-3 record in 1978.
The team defeated 12th-ranked Valdosta State, 31-24, on the road in Knight’s first game as head coach. The scarlet and gray were ranked 20th in the nation by D2Football.com following the Valdosta win, marking Knight’s first national ranking as head coach.
Two players have earned South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors under Knight’s tutelage, with linebacker Will Newell winning the award in the 2008 season and safety Ron Parker earning the honor in 2009.
His players have made nine appearances in senior all-star games including the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Texas vs. the Nation Game, the Valero Cactus Bowl, the Players All-Star Classic, National Bowl Game and the East Coast Bowl.
Knight’s players have also excelled in the classroom, with Brandon Gantt named an ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2009. Gantt in 2009, Matt Holmes in 2010 and Lequawn James in 2011 were also named as national semifinalists for the National Football Foundation’s Campbell Trophy, which is known as the Academic Heisman Award. Five players were named to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society. A total of 12 players have earned CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District honors.
Knight served as Newberry’s defensive coordinator from 2003-09: six seasons solely as the defensive coordinator and filling both the head coach and coordinator roles in 2009.
Prior to Newberry
Knight served as Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Charleston Southern University under David Dowd. Under Knight’s guidance, the 2001 Buccaneers’ “Blue Collar” defense achieved a No. 16 Division I-AA national ranking in pass defense and a No. 20 mark in total defense. He coached the inside linebackers in 1997 before holding the Defensive Coordinator role for five seasons.
Knight moved to Charleston Southern from Gardner-Webb, his alma mater, where he coached the Runnin' Bulldogs' secondary from 1993-96. He also served as a Graduate Assistant at Gardner-Webb in 1989 before moving to Lees-McRae. Knight coached the Bobcats' linebackers in 1990 before becoming Defensive Coordinator for the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
Knight earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at Gardner-Webb, graduating in 1989. His Master of Arts in Physical Education was awarded in 1990.
Personal
Knight is married to the former Tina Martin and the couple resides in Newberry. He is the proud father of his daughter, Anna, and sons, Devin and Michael Cash.
Knight's Coaching Record
| Year |
School |
W-L |
Pct |
| 2009 |
Newberry |
6-4 |
.600 |
| 2010 |
Newberry |
4-6 |
.400 |
| 2011 |
Newberry |
4-6 |
.400 |
| 2012 |
Newberry |
5-6 |
.455 |
| 2013 |
Newberry |
9-3 ^ |
.750 |
| 2014 |
Newberry |
5-6 |
.455 |
| 2015 |
Newberry |
7-5 ^ |
.583 |
| 2016 |
Newberry |
10-2 *^ |
.833 |
| 2017 |
Newberry |
5-6 |
.455 |
| 2018 |
Newberry |
5-6 |
.455 |
| 2019 |
Newberry |
5-6 |
.455 |
| 2020 |
Newberry |
5-1 |
.833 |
| 2021 |
Newberry |
10-3 *^ |
.769 |
| 2022 |
Newberry |
9-2 * |
.818 |
| 2023 |
Newberry |
4-7 |
.363 |
| 2024 |
Newberry |
3-7 |
.300 |
| TOTALS |
16 SEASONS |
96-75 |
.561 |
^ = NCAA Division II Football Championship appearance
* = South Atlantic Conference champions
