Craig Knoth (pronounced Kuh – NO – th) begins his seventh season as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University. Knoth works with the tight ends and fullbacks, while coordinating the recruiting efforts for the football program.

Knoth coached starters Brian Riley (TE) and Jake Hess (FB) for an offensive unit that ranked 14^th in the nation and produced the Big Sky leaders in both rushing and passing efficiency in 2011. Riley earned All-Big Sky honorable mention honors and played in the Casino del Sol All-Star game to cap his career, while Hess was an All-Big Sky second-team pick at fullback and returns in 2012.

Knoth’s most recent recruiting efforts in 2012 landed the Arizona Republic's Small Schools (Divisions IV-VI) Player of the Year, Northwest Christian running back Casey Jahn. The class included 11 prep student-athletes, including seven from the state of Arizona, and 10 junior college players.

In 2010, Knoth helped develop two-sport standout Nick Larson in his only season on the gridiron. Larson, a former basketball player, produced 14 catches for 117 and three touchdowns, the second-best total on the team, and earned All-Big Sky honorable mention accolades. True freshman Drew Emanuel also saw significant action when junior Riley was lost to injury early in the season, seeing action in 10 games.  Knoth also worked with Vinnie Paciulli, who earned the All-Big Sky second-team selection at fullback in 2010.

Knoth mentored Shaun Fitzpatrick to three All-Big Sky honors, including first-team accolades in 2006. He finished his career with 77 catches for 920 yards and four touchdowns and was named to the prestigious 2009 Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.

Fitzpatrick ranked second on the team with 28 catches for 360 yards in 2007, earning honorable mention All-America honors from the Sports Network. In 2008, redshirt freshman Brian Riley filled in for the injured Fitzpatrick and earned All-Big Sky honorable mention accolades.

Prior to NAU, Knoth worked two seasons at Missouri Southern State University where he worked as a graduate assistant.  At Missouri Southern, Knoth worked with the tight ends and assisted with the offensive line for Head Coach John Ware. He handled the offensive line position group for the final five games of the 2006 season at Missouri Southern after the passing of Head Coach and Offensive Line coach John Ware.

At Missouri Southern, Knoth was part of a staff that broke or tied more than 30 school offensive records. In 2004, Missouri Southern set the school season record for passing yards (3,575 yards) and ranked second on the all-time list for total offense (4,983 yards) and scoring (342 points). They became the first team in MIAA conference history to record a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher during the regular season. Knoth helped mentor two Honorable Mention All-MIAA offensive linemen in sophomore Allen Barbre and freshman Matt Stout. In 2005, Knoth mentored two All-MIAA selections on the Offensive Line at Missouri Southern in Allen Barbre and Matt Stout. Allen Barbre was a First-Team All-MIAA, First-Team All-Southwest Region, and Honorable Mention All-America as a junior.  Barbre was a fourth round selection (119th overall) of the Green Bay Packers in the 2007 NFL Draft.  Matt Stout was an honorable mention selection as a sophomore.

Knoth was a four-year letter winner and a three-year starter at Truman State University for Head Coach John Ware.  He played on the offensive line as a guard starting every game, 33 consecutive, beginning in the 2001 season thru the 2003 season at Truman State.  At Truman State, Knoth played on some of the most prolific offenses in the over 100 years of football at the institution.

Knoth, a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in management and marketing as well as a minor in Public Administration from Truman State University in 2004. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from Missouri State University in 2006. He was married in June, 2007 to the former Nikki Riess. They had their first child in September 2010, Zoie.

Craig Knoth, Tight Ends/Fullbacks/Recruiting

Born: July 19, 1981

College: Truman State University, 2004; Missouri State University, 2006      

Playing Experience: Truman State University, 2000-03

Family: Wife Nikki Riess, Daughter Zoie Knoth.              

Knoth’s Coaching Chronology