# John J. Knight

John J. Knight (December 20, 1899 – July 12, 1988) was an American athletic director and college football coach. He was the athletic director for Bethany College from 1933 until his retirement in 1969. He was the head football for Bethany from 1930 to 1944 and from 1953 to 1962.

## Playing career

Knight grew up in Grafton, West Virginia, and attended Grafton High School. He played college football, basketball, and baseball for West Virginia Wesleyan. He earned twelve letters while playing for the Bobcats.

## Coaching career

In 1923, Knight was the head football coach for Weston High School. In 1925, he served as the head coach for Wheeling High School. In 1930, he earned his first college football head coaching position for Bethany College. He took over following the departure of David C. Morrow. He held the position until 1944. In his first fifteen seasons with the school he produced four winning seasons and a high of 6–2 in 1936, 1940, and 1942. In 1948, Knight was the head football coach for the Ohio State sprint football team. In 1953, he returned to Bethany as their head coach. He coached for ten more seasons and finished his overall career with the Bison with an overall record of 66–110–6. He retired after the 1962 season.
From 1925 to 1929, Knight served as the head basketball coach for Wheeling High School. In 1930, he held the same position for Bethany.
From 1930 to 1947, Knight was the baseball coach for Bethany.
From 1930 to 1970, Knight was the golf coach for Bethany.

## Administrative career

In 1933, Knight was hired as the athletic director for Bethany College. He served the position until his retirement following the 1969 school year. From 1959 to 1960 he served as the president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

## Honors and death

Knight is a member of the NAIA, Bethany, and West Virginia Wesleyan halls of fame.
Knight died on July 12, 1988, in San Diego.

## Head coaching record
### College

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing |
| Bethany Bison (Tri-State Conference / West Virginia Athletic Conference) (1930–1932) ||||||
| 1930 | Bethany | 0–8 | 0–3 / 0–2 | 5th / N/A |
| 1931 | Bethany | 1–6 | 0–2 / 1–2 | 4th / N/A |
| 1932 | Bethany | 0–5–2 | 0–3 / 0–2 | 6th / N/A |
| Bethany Bison (Tri-State Conference) (1933) ||||||
| 1933 | Bethany | 0–5–1 | 0–3 | 6th |
| Bethany Bison (West Virginia Athletic Conference / West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1934–1944) ||||||
| 1934 | Bethany | 1–5 | | N/A |
| 1935 | Bethany | 5–3 | 1–0 | N/A |
| 1936 | Bethany | 6–2 | | N/A |
| 1937 | Bethany | 2–6 | 1–2 | N/A |
| 1938 | Bethany | 2–6 | 0–4 | 9th |
| 1938 | Bethany | 3–3–1 | 1–1–1 | N/A |
| 1940 | Bethany | 6–2 | 2–2 | 5th |
| 1941 | Bethany | 0–6–1 | 0–2–1 | N/A |
| 1942 | Bethany | 6–2 | 1–2 | N/A |
| 1943 | Bethany | 0–6 | | N/A |
| 1944 | Bethany | 1–4 | | N/A |
| Bethany Bison (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1953–1961) ||||||
| 1953 | Bethany | 3–4 | 1–0 | N/A |
| 1954 | Bethany | 2–5 | 1–0 | N/A |
| 1955 | Bethany | 6–1 | 2–0 | N/A |
| 1956 | Bethany | 6–2 | 2–0 | N/A |
| 1957 | Bethany | 5–3 | 1–0 | N/A |
| 1958 | Bethany | 1–6–1 | 0–0–1 | N/A |
| 1959 | Bethany | 1–8 | 0–1 | N/A (Western) |
| 1960 | Bethany | 1–6 | 0–1 | N/A (Western) |
| 1961 | Bethany | 2–5 | 0–1 | N/A |
| Bethany Bison (Presidents' Athletic Conference) (1962) ||||||
| 1962 | Bethany | 6–1 | 6–1 | 2nd |
| Bethany: | Bethany: | 66–110–6 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 66–110–6 | | |