Alma Mater: Arkansas State ‘16
Year at Massachusetts: Second
University of Massachusetts football head coach Walt Bell welcomed Fredi Knighten to the program’s staff as the team’s running backs coach on Jan. 15, 2019. Knighten, a record-setting dual-threat quarterback at Arkansas State, added responsibilities as the quarterbacks coach in 2020.
Knighten's impact on the running back corps was evident throughout the season as the five running backs who fielded a handoff throughout the year did not fumble once over a combined 344 carries. The group combined for 1,460 rushing yards (4.2 ypc) and 11 touchdowns.
“Coach Bell gave me an opportunity to learn what it takes to be a good coach,” Knighten said. “After being with him for five years now, I’ve had time to talk with him about his vision of what he wants UMass to be: a fun, family atmosphere where we are competing with a blue-collar attitude, and helping to influence and enhance the lives of our players.”
Knighten arrived in the Pioneer Valley following a one-year stint as a graduate assistant alongside Bell at Florida State.
During his time in Tallahassee, Knighten worked primarily with the Seminoles’ quarterbacks. In part under Knighten’s guidance, Deondre Francois continued his ascent up the Seminole record book rankings with a strong 2018 season that included 2,731 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes after Francois missed all but one game in 2017 due to injury. FSU’s passing offense ranked third in the ACC at 270.1 yards per game, as did Francois in completions per game (20.64).
“Fredi is an incredibly intelligent individual and I’m thankful he joined me in building this program here,” Bell said. “He is a diligent, hard-working coach and a rising star in this profession.”
Prior to his stint with the Seminoles, Knighten served two seasons in a graduate assistant capacity at Maryland. In his final campaign, the Terrapins rotated through four quarterbacks due to injuries, and was one of just two teams in the nation with three or more wins by three different starting quarterbacks. Despite the rotation, Maryland’s offense ranked in the top-20 nationally for fewest turnovers (14), which tied a team record.
Also in 2017, DJ Moore broke the single-season school record with 80 catches, a conference-high average of 6.7 per game. Moore also led the Big Ten with 1,033 receiving yards in 2017, as he became only the program’s third 1,000-yard receiver. Following the season, the Carolina Panthers selected Moore in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The previous year, Maryland scored a program-record 173 points in the first four games of the season. Maryland’s 2,594 rushing yards created the program’s seventh 2,500-yard rushing season ever and first since 2003, while the 26 rushing touchdowns were the most in College Park since 2007. Quarterback Perry Hills led the Big Ten in completion percentage and ranked second in the conference in passing efficiency.
Knighten enjoyed a decorated playing career as a dual-threat quarterback at Arkansas State (2012-15) for head coaches Gus Malzahan (2012), Bryan Harsin (2013) and Blake Anderson (2014-15).
As the team’s starting quarterback, he finished fourth in program history with 6,986 career total yards and also posted a figure of 4,056 yards in 2014, a feat that then ranked second all-time. Knighten twice was a Sun Belt all-conference honoree as well as a two-time Little Rock Touchdown Club MVP.
In addition to his postseason accolades, Knighten was tabbed to a plethora of watch lists in 2015, including the Wuerffel Trophy, Johnny Unitas Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Maxwell Award.
Knighten was named MVP of the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl after recording a career-high 212 yards of total offense and leading the Red Wolves on a three-play, 55-yard game-winning drive in the final one minute, 25 seconds.
Knighten, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Arkansas State in 2016. Prior to college, he played scholastically at Pulaski Academy for Kevin Kelley, where he was twice chosen for all-America by ESPN while also collecting Parade and MaxPreps all-America.
| Knighten • Season-By-Season Coaching Career |
| 2016-17 • Maryland • Graduate Assistant (Offense) |
| 2018 • Florida State • Graduate Assistant (Quarterbacks) |
| 2019 • Massachusetts • Running Backs Coach |
| 2020 • Massachusetts • Quarterbacks Coach / Running Backs Coach |
| Knighten • Bowl Game History |
| 2012 • Arkansas State • GoDaddy Bowl (as a player) |
| 2013 • Arkansas State • GoDaddy Bowl (as a player) |
| 2014 • Arkansas State • GoDaddy Bowl (as a player) |
| 2015 • Arkansas State • New Orleans Bowl (as a player) |
| 2016 • Maryland • Quick Lane Bowl (as a coach) |
| Knighten • Career Highlights |
| Was on staff at Florida during the 2018 season when the Seminoles’ passing offense ranked third in the ACC at 270.1 yards per game, as did quarterback Deandre Francois in completions per game (20.64) |
| While at Maryland, he mentored the Big Ten’s leading receiver in 2017 in DJ Moore (1,033 yards) before Moore was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2018 NFL Draft |
| In 2016, his first year at Maryland, the Terrapins rushed for over 2,500 yards for the seventh time in program history and first since 2003. The squad culminated the year with a trip to the Quick Lane Bowl |
| During his Arkansas State playing career, was a two-time Sun Belt all-conference pick. As a senior in 2015, Knighten was placed on five postseason award watch lists |
| Reached four consecutive bowl games while at A-State and orchestrated a three-play, 55-yard game-winning drive in the final one minute, 25 seconds of the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl before being named the game’s MVP |
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