Knee hopes to jump start Mustangs
The high school football season is still a long way off, but what happens in the next few months may be a key factor in determining Laurel Highlands’ chances at success this fall. “This is an important summer for us, for the kids, for this program,” said first-year coach Scott Knee. “This is a big time coming up for us. But it’s an exciting time, too. The people here took a relative unknown and have given me a shot, and I’m going to run with it.”
Knee is an optimist, but even he was surprised when Laurel Highlands tabbed him as the Mustangs’ new football coach earlier this year.
“I had some people pushing me to go for it and pursue the job, and I thought it would be good experience to go through the interview process,” Knee said. “They had about 40 or 50 applicants. I felt honored just to be interviewed. I told them my beliefs in running a football program and tried to let my personality come out.”
Apparently, Knee left an excellent impression on the Laurel Highlands School Board.
Knee made the cut down to 14 and that group was reduced to five before the board officially hired him on Jan. 15.
“It was a quick process and it was exciting,” said the 29-year-old Northern Bedford graduate. “I heard they wanted someone a little bit younger. They’ve given me a great opportunity here.”
Knee, the son of David and Judy Knee of Bedford, has been involved in coaching football ever since he graduated from Waynesburg College in 1994.
Knee played football and basketball at Northern Bedford, and was a two-year starter at offensive tackle in college for the Yellow Jackets. His first coaching job came under John Barton at Waynesburg Central in the fall of 1994. He stayed in town the next year, but jumped to the college level where he was the Yellow Jackets’ assistant offensive line coach.
Knee rejoined the Waynesburg Central staff under head coach Russ Moore as the Raiders’ offensive line coach in 1996 and has been there ever since. He added offensive coordinator to his title two years ago when Dave Sarra took over for Moore.
Waynesburg won the 1999 WPIAL Class AA championship and reached the final again in 2000. The Raiders lost to North Catholic, 27-19, in the first round of the 2001 playoffs.
Knee has coached quarterbacks Lee Fritz and Cory Walsh the past two seasons, and now will take over a Laurel Highlands squad that features the WPIAL’s most prolific passer in Matt Humbert.
“I’ve been lucky in that the last three quarterbacks I’ve had have been really special,” Knee said. “Matt is an exceptional young person. All he wants to do is be successful.”
Knee inherits a Mustang offense that sported one of the most dangerous passing attacks in the state last year, after running a Waynesburg offense that preferred to grind it out on the ground for the most part. The Raiders’ running attack could out-muscle opponents, but the offense was more complicated than it may have looked.
“On offense at Waynesburg, we used multiple formations and motion to get the advantage with defenses to set up our running game,” Knee said. “Now we’ll probably do just the opposite. We’ll use different sets and motion to set up our passing game, because we have a very good quarterback and good skill players. We still need to run the ball, but I’m excited because of the things I think we can do with the passing game.”
The Mustangs’ problems in the past, however, have stemmed from a lack of production in the trenches, which is something Knee is very aware of.
“That’s where we have to improve,” Knee said. “We have to get stronger and better in that area. There’s talent there. I think we’re going to improve, interior-wise.”
Knee would like to see his team hit the weights hard, but also pointed out there’s more to winning the battle at the line of scrimmage than just strength.
“You have to be quick on your feet and you have to have all five guys working together as a unit,” said Knee in assessing his specialty area. “Strength is nice, and hopefully we’ll get better there, but I’ve seen results with kids that have very good feet and trusted one another that weren’t the biggest kids in the world. You have to have quick feet and want to come after people, and cohesiveness can’t be underestimated. The players have to trust one another, that each is going to do his job.
“That area is a priority on both sides of the ball, and it takes a lot of work to excel there. But you can’t be successful in anything in life without sacrifice and hard work.
“You win games up front. You can do all the fancy things you want, but if you’re not blocking or stopping people up front, you’re not going to win at any level.”
Actually, Laurel Highlands’ level recently changed. The Mustangs have been switched from Quad-A to Class AAA for the upcoming season where they will play in the Keystone Conference (Section 2) along with cross-town rival Uniontown as well as Belle Vernon, Greensburg Salem, Mount Pleasant, Yough and Derry.
The Mustangs spent the entire reign of Knee’s predecessor, Jack Buehner, at the Quad-A level, from 1990 to 2001. Buehner stepped down as coach after last season.
Laurel Highlands has put together just five winning seasons since the school’s inception, with three of those coming in succession under Buehner in the mid 90’s, but LH was only 10-40 in the past five years.
The Mustangs’ only other winning years came in 1989 and 1973.
Mike Bosnic guided the 1989 team to the school’s only playoff appearance. It also was the last season LH played at Class AAA.
Knee is confident the 2002 Mustangs will put their trust in him as the program enters a new era.
“What has to happen is the kids have to buy into what you’re saying,” Knee said. “I promised these people that the kids will go out there and play hard, aggressive football, and have fun doing it, for 48 minutes.”
Knee’s biggest worry is inserting his new system.
“I used to be nervous about the implementation of things into a system that everyone already knew, but now I’m worried about where to start and what I can get in,” Knee said. “We had a very complex running game at Waynesburg. The offense I want to run here is up in my head, and I understand it all, but I have to decide how to relay it all to the players.
“But I think our kids are going to have a good time with it. It’s pretty fun when it’s all clicking.”
Knee stressed that he isn’t all about offense, though.
“Believe me, we’re going to get after it on defense and special teams, too,” Knee said.
Knee is the second of three children, with a sister, 32-year-old Michele, and a brother, 27-year-old Matt. He is hoping his youthfulness will help him relate better to his new players.
“It helps that I’m young for a head coach, but it all depends on your personality and style,” Knee said. “I’ve seen much older coaches relate to kids very well.
“What I want to relate to the kids is a family-type atmosphere. I want them to know they’re not just here for three years and then gone. I want them to come back and tell me how they’re doing. I know and care about the players I coach. I want to try to build that relationship with them here.”
There’s a time for work, but also a time for some rest and relaxation, according to Knee.
“Football is a year-around thing now,” Knee said. “I know what the kids are going through. It can be very demanding. You have to remember they’re kids and they need time away from the coaches every once in awhile.”
When asked what coaches he tries to emulate, Knee cited two he worked under.
“John Barton and Russ Moore at Waynesburg … I learned a lot from both of them,” Knee said. “They probably influenced me the most.”
Knee not only has the board behind him, but a few other supporters as well.
“My parents follow what I do very closely,” Knee said. “They would always look in the paper for the scores to see what Waynesburg did. I think they might be there for that first game here at Laurel Highlands. I think they get a kick out of it all. I guess it gives them sort of a proud feeling.”
Knee is confident Laurel Highlands fans will be proud of what he does with the Mustangs, too.
“I’m a firm believer that we’re going to be successful,” Knee said. “One word I have always hated was ‘rebuilding.’ I think when you say a season is a ‘rebuilding year’ it’s not being fair to the seniors on that team. It might give them a negative feeling, like you’re looking at their senior season as a throw-away year. So I don’t believe in ever saying we’re in a rebuilding process. I learned that from Coach Moore.
“That’s the attitude I want to portray, that we expect to win every time we step on the field.”