Joe McKnight

Infobox NCAA Athlete
name = Joe McKnight

---

caption = McKnight gives a USC Victory-sign after a 2008 fall practice
college = Southern California
conference = Pac-10
sport = Football
position = TB
jersey = 4
class = Sophomore
career_start = 2007
nickname =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 200
nationality = flag|United States
birth_date = birth date and age|1988|4|16
birth_place = River Ridge, Louisiana
highschool = John Curtis Christian HS,
River Ridge, Louisiana
former_school(s)=
awards = 2007 Pac-10 honorable mention
2007 "Parade" co-Player of the Year

Joe McKnight (born April 16, 1988 in River Ridge, Louisiana) is an American football tailback for the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans football team.

High school career

McKnight attended John Curtis Christian High School in River Ridge, Louisiana, located approximately 10 miles west of New Orleans in Jefferson Parish.

For his first years of high school, McKnight played defense as a cornerback; his high school career was complicated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated his part of Louisiana just before his junior 2005 season.cite news |first=Chris |last=Dufresne |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Star recruit has folks upset back home |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-mcknight20may20,0,3412895,full.story |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=2007-05-20 |accessdate= ] Separated from his mother who had evacuated to Baton Rouge, McKnight temporarily relocated to Shreveport where he eventually enrolled and played two games for Evangel Christian Academy, the same school which previously produced USC quarterback and future teammate John David Booty. His family was able to relocate back to River Ridge, but their home had been destroyed so they moved into a one-bedroom apartment.

For the rest of the shortened 2005 season, McKnight scored 22 touchdowns (nine rushing, five receiving, four punt returns, three interceptions, one kickoff return) and averaged 18 yards a play in leading his team to the state championship. In 2006, McKnight rushed for 719 yards on 45 carries, scoring 14 touchdowns, received 24 catches for 735 yards and 13 touchdowns, and with special teams play scored a total of 30 touchdowns as a senior; he was instrumental in John Curtis Christian's 14-0 season, often used as a decoy player due to his scoring threat.

McKnight is the latest and arguably the most talented of a line of running back prospects out of John Curtis Christian HS–among them Reggie Dupard, Chris Howard and Jonathan Wells. Most recruiting analysts rank him among the top 2 of the 2007 high school class (next to quarterback Jimmy Clausen of Oaks Christian High School). Considered a 5-star recruit, on January 28 2007, McKnight was named co-Player of the Year by "Parade", sharing the honor with Clausen. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=McKnight splits top honor on Parade list |url= |work=The Advocate |publisher= |date=2007-01-29 |accessdate= ] Rivals.com ranked McKnight the best running back prospect in the U.S. [http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1477 Rivals.com running backs 2007] , Rivals.com] , and the 2nd best recruit overall. [http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1475 Rivals.com Rivals100 2007] , Rivals.com] Analysts notice his elusiveness, impressive speed (4.3 in 40-yard dash) as well as his incomparable instincts and field vision but some say he is somewhat undersized, at convert|193|lb|kg|abbr=off|lk=off, for the college game. McKnight has been called “the most exciting prospect the state of Louisiana has produced since Marshall Faulk” by recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg.

USC assigned linebackers coach and former NFL All-Pro Ken Norton Jr. to handle recruitment of McKnight. LSU coach Les Miles visited McKnight on February 1, 2007, the last possible date before National Signing Day, in order to ensure McKnight's commitment to the LSU. However, on February 7 McKnight committed to the University of Southern California. At USC, McKnight was joined by second-ranked running back prospect, Marc Tyler. The backlash against McKnight's decision to attend college out of state manifested itself when the Curtis School's marching band was booed performing at a Mardis Gras parade.

McKnight stated that his interest in USC came from its football tradition, notably Heisman trophies and his interest in sports broadcasting, noting the USC Annenberg School for Communication.

Recruiting controversy

McKnight told reporters on National Signing Day that he spoke to former USC running back Reggie Bush before he chose Southern California over favored LSU. On February 9, the "Los Angeles Times" reported that USC officials were investigating whether an NCAA recruiting violation occurred during the Trojans' pursuit of the Louisiana prep star. At issue is whether McKnight listened to a phone call between head coach Pete Carroll and Reggie Bush. [cite news |first=Gary |last=Klein |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=USC looks into potential recruiting violation |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-uscrecruit9feb09,1,7603432.story |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=2007-02-09 |accessdate= ] NCAA rules state that alumni cannot speak to players and attempt to persuade them to join their former school.

Joe McKnight and his high school coach, J.T. Curtis, would both later admit that McKnight misspoke during the news conference and that McKnight has never actually met or spoken to Bush. [cite news |first=Bill |last=Bumgarner |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Curtis coach says Bush didn't call McKnight |url=http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-28/1171091246178990.xml&coll=1 |work=The Times-Picayune |publisher= |date=2007-02-10 |accessdate= ] Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll have also both denied a conference call ever took place. Carroll blamed the controversy surrounding McKnight on LSU fans who were unhappy that McKnight would choose to leave the state of Louisiana and attend USC. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Carroll blames LSU fans for recruiting flap |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17061848/ |work= |publisher= |date=2007-02-10 |accessdate= ]

College career

Because of his talent and versatility, the media and opposing coaches have called McKnight the "next Reggie Bush". McKnight began college at the University of Southern California in June 2007. He was awarded with the inaugural “Frank Gifford Endowed Football Scholarship”, which is given out annually by the USC athletic department to an incoming freshman running back, quarterback or wide receiver who best emulates Gifford's life, success and spirit. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Frank Gifford Endowed Football Scholarship Established At USC |url=http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/022807aaa.html |work= |publisher=USC Trojans |date=2007-02-28 |accessdate= ] By the pre-season practice before his freshman season at USC, McKnight had already demonstrated some of the speed and moves that made him an impact player in high school.cite news |first=Gary |last=Klein |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=McKnight is finding his way |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-uscrep15aug15,1,4628038.story |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=2007-08-15 |accessdate= ] cite news |first=Arash |last=Markazi |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Postcard from camp: USC |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/arash_markazi/08/14/usc.postcard/index.html |work=Sports Illustrated |publisher= |date=2007-08-14 |accessdate= ]

After a slow start during his freshman season, dealing with fumble-issues for the first time in his career, he made a pivotal contribution in a victory against against Arizona, where he ran a punt return for 45 yards, and later ran for 59 yards to set USC up for their last 10 points in their game. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=McKnight sparks No. 7 Southern Cal past Arizona |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/pac10/2007-10-13-usc-arizona_N.htm |work=USA Today |publisher= |date=2007-10-13 |accessdate= ]

McKnight achieved a break-through at the end of his freshman season during the 2008 Rose Bowl, where he had 206 all-purpose yards: 36 on three punt returns, 45 on six pass receptions and 125 in 10 carries with one touchdown.cite news |first=Mike |last=Hiserman |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=McKnight looks simply 'Reggie-ish' |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rosesep2jan02,1,2348994.story |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher= |date=2008-01-02 |accessdate= ] cite news |first=Bruce |last=Feldman |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Hyped freshman shows signs of being USC's next big star |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls07/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3176723 |work=ESPN the Magazine |publisher= |date=2008-01-02 |accessdate= ] cite news |first=David Leon |last=Moore |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=McKnight gives glimpse of future in USC's Rose Bowl win |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/pac10/2008-01-02-usc-mcknight_N.htm?csp=34 |work=USA Today |publisher= |date=2008-01-02 |accessdate= ]

During his freshman season, McKnight painted "I need $" under his eye blacks to signify his desire to play professional football in the NFL.cite news |first=Arash |last=Markazi |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Plague of allegiance |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/arash_markazi/01/02/rose.bowl/index.html |work=Sports Illustrated |publisher= |date=2008-01-02 |accessdate= ]

Before his sophomore season, McKnight was included in "Sports Illustrated"'s spring list of top ten Heisman Trophy contenders going into the fall.cite news |first=Gene |last=Menez |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Ohio State's Wells is the man to beat in the 2008 campaign |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/gene_menez/04/30/springwrap.watch/index.html |work=Sports Illustrated |publisher= |date=2008-05-01 |accessdate=2008-05-05 ]

References

External links

* [http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mcknight_joe00.html Player Bio: Joe McKnight] , USC Athletic Department.