Written by Amanda Pruitt
Harding head football coach Ronnie Huckeba can still clearly remember the first time he saw David Knighton throw a football on the school’s defensive practice field in 2003.
Huckeba, the defensive coordinator at the time, knew Knighton was talented after watching only three or four passes.
Knighton had a impressive arm, a quick release and tight, spiraling passes. All important qualities for a quarterback, let alone a freshman who’d just arrived for his first college practice.
“It was really obvious to me that he was special the moment he set foot on campus,” Huckeba said.
As it turns out, Huckeba was exactly right.
Since joining the Bisons, Knighton has broken 27 school records and helped Harding to winning seasons every year he’s been in the lineup. Knighton, a senior, has passed for more than 6,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in his career and is slowly working his way up the career leaders in the Gulf South Conference history, an exclusive list for a league that has long been recognized for its talented quarterbacks.
“He’s one of the best there’s ever been in the conference, and that’s good company,” Huckeba said.
Knighton emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the NCAA Division II last season, passing for a school-record 3,198 yards and 32 touchdowns. He became the first Bison quarterback to earn All-America awards. He was even a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, Division II’s equivalent of the Heisman.
For Knighton, success on the field has been expected all along. When he was a freshman, he planned out when he wanted to become a starter and the career numbers and awards he wanted to achieve. Knighton said not all his plans occurred as soon as he had expected, but even with nine games remaining in his career, he’s already reached many of his personal targets.
“I set my expectations and goals pretty high for myself, as far as football goes,” Knighton said.
A bottleneck at the quarterback position delayed the start of Knighton’s on-field career at Harding. In 2003, Freddie Langston was wrapping up his career, and Adam Lybrand was already prepared to take his place on the field. Knighton was redshirted in his freshman year and saved a semester of eligibility by not playing again in 2004.
“I was real anxious to get out there and show everyone what I could do,” said Knighton, a native of Seminole, Okla. “I’m glad it worked out like it did because I wouldn’t be playing right now. I guess it was a blessing in disguise.”
The waiting game on the sidelines did not last forever, though.
Knighton was immediately sent into action mid-game a season later when Lybrand was injured on a running play against Arkansas-Monticello in October. Knighton marched the team down the field and scored on the drive, and by the time the game was over, the Bisons had won 32-14 and he’d locked up the starting role.
“David came in and just lit the whole place up,” Huckeba said. “We decided that night that we would go with David.”
Since that game in October 2005, Knighton has rarely been out of the lineup. He started the remaining three games of that season and has been a starter ever since.
Quarterbacks often get most of the glory — and most of the blame — because the nature of the position, but Knighton has not been alone in his success. Knighton claimed school records and high yardage numbers with the help of a strong offensive side.
The offense, from the receivers to the offensive line anchored by Ross Conn, posted high numbers almost every week, including a 62-55 Homecoming game victory over Arkansas Tech. Knighton passed for 529 yards and seven touchdowns in the game, breaking four game records in the process.
While few quarterbacks at any level pass for 3,000 yards in a season, Knighton’s performance did not surprise Huckeba. In spring 2007, the coaching staff decided to employ the Air Raid offense, a system used by high-scoring, pass-oriented programs including Texas Tech and Valdosta State.
“We thought it would be a great offense for him, and the numbers have spoken for themselves,” Huckeba said.
Last year’s record-breaking season has brought more national attention to Knighton and the Bisons, which have started the season 1-1. He said while there is more pressure perform to reach or even exceed last year, and the pressure requires more mental preparation on his part for the games ahead.
“We haven’t even cracked the surface of what we can be,” Knighton said. “We can be the best offense in the nation, I believe, especially with so many talented players that we have back.”