Rich Rodriguez Set to Add Veteran Defensive Coach Larry Knight to WVU Staff

West Virginia University football head coach Rich Rodriguez is set to add veteran defensive coach Larry Knight to the Mountaineers’ coaching staff, according to multiple reports.

Known for his work developing defensive linemen and outside linebackers, Knight has coached at multiple Power Four and Group of Five programs and played a key role in producing conference standouts and NFL Draft picks.

Knight brings more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, most recently serving as the defensive ends coach and defensive run game coordinator at Arkansas State under Butch Jones.

Knight spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Temple, where he coached the defensive ends. During that stretch, he helped develop All-American Athletic Conference standout Diwun Black, who recorded three sacks, six tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hurries under Knight’s direction.

From 2019 to 2022, Knight served as the defensive line coach and defensive recruiting coordinator at Georgia Tech. His tenure was highlighted by the development of Djimon Brooks, who rose from an unrecruited walk-on to a starter and All-ACC performer in 2021. Knight also recruited and developed Keion White, a 2022 All-ACC honoree who tied for third in the ACC in sacks and tackles for loss during his senior season before being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In addition, Knight recruited and coached All-ACC defensive lineman Zeek Biggers and eventual All-American Kyle Kennard. His defensive line units contributed to Georgia Tech ranking among the nation’s top 25 teams in fumble recoveries in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Knight’s first stint at Temple came from 2017 to 2018, where he began as a defensive and recruiting quality control assistant before being promoted to director of player personnel. He was later elevated to outside linebackers coach and defensive recruiting coordinator ahead of the 2018 season. Temple reached back-to-back bowl games during that period, including a victory in the 2017 Gasparilla Bowl. The Owls’ 2018 defense ranked in the top four nationally in defensive touchdowns and finished among the top three units in the American Athletic Conference.

Prior to Temple, Knight served as the outside linebackers coach at Georgia State from 2015 to 2016. He was part of a staff that engineered the most improved defense in the FBS in 2015, cutting 15 points per game from the previous season. That year also marked Georgia State’s first bowl appearance, with the Panthers earning a berth in the Cure Bowl.

Knight began his Power Four experience at Tennessee, where he spent two seasons from 2013 to 2014 as a defensive graduate assistant and defensive quality control coach. Working closely with the defensive line and linebackers, he helped support back-to-back top-five recruiting classes and assisted in the development of future first-round NFL Draft pick Derek Barnett.

His collegiate coaching career began at Cincinnati from 2011 to 2012, where he served as a graduate assistant. During the 2011 season, the Bearcats’ defensive line led the nation in tackles for loss (8.6 per game) and sacks (3.5 per game). Cincinnati won two Big East championships and captured two bowl victories during Knight’s tenure.

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