July 3, 2002

AMES, Iowa -- Don Knock, a member of the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame, has been hired as director of football operations at Iowa State, Cyclone head football coach Dan McCarney announced Wednesday. Knock returns to Iowa State after a year as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Nebraska-Omaha. A past-president of the Iowa Football Coaches Association who owned a career prep coaching record of 128-85, Knock helped coach the Cyclone offensive line as a graduate assistant during the 2000 season. Knock replaces Charlie Partridge, who resigned to become defensive line coach at Eastern Illinois.

"I couldn't be more pleased about someone joining our staff," McCarney said. "When you can get an Iowa coaching hall of fame member who has also been on our staff at one time, you really get the whole package. Don Knock will bring so many things to our staff and has the respect of high school coaches across the state."

Knock coached Cedar Rapids Kennedy to six state playoff berths in the his final 10 prep seasons at the Cougar helm and coached Grundy Center to the 1984 Iowa Class 2-A state high school title. The 47-year-old Knock was captain of the 1975 Central College football team and earned a bachelor's degree there in 1976. The Parkersburg native signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders after graduation but joined the Central College coaching staff under Ron Schipper that fall.

Knock began his coaching career at Rockwell-Swaledale in 1977, where he taught and was head football coach. After three years at Rockwell-Swaledale, Knock spent one academic year at South Dakota, where he was graduate assistant offensive backfield coach while earning a master's degree.

A member of the IFCA's board of directors for 15 years, Knock moved to Grundy Center in 1981, where his teams compiled a 48-11 record and twice qualified for the state playoffs. He moved on to Cedar Rapids Kennedy in 1987, where his teams were 66-61.