James Knight ( coach ) James Carnahan Knight ( November 16 , 1875 – March 29 , 1969 ) was an American football player and coach . He played college football at Princeton University in 1895 and at the University of Michigan in 1901 . He was the head football coach at the University of Washington from 1902 to 1904 and compiled a 15 – 4 – 1 record . Early years . Knight was born in Ottumwa , Iowa in November 1875 . His father , Henry B . Knight , was an Ohio native and Presbyterian minister . His mother , Jane , was born in Pennsylvania . At the time of the 1880 United States Census , Knight was living with his parents and two older brothers ( Louis and Harry ) in Ottumwa . At the time of the 1885 Iowa State Census , Knight was living in Fairfield , Iowa where his father was employed as a professor at Parsons College . Parsons College and Princeton . Knight began his college education at Parsons College , the liberal arts college where his father was a professor . He enrolled at Princeton University in approximately 1893 . As a senior in 1895 , Knight played college football as an end for the Princeton Tigers football team . While attending Princeton , Knight listed Chicago as his home city and was the vice president of Princeton ' s Chicago Club . He also lettered in gymnastics and rowing . He graduated from Princeton as part of the Class of 1896 . Early professional career . In approximately 1898 , Knight accepted a job in Chicago as the Michigan agent for Ginn & Co . , a leading publisher of textbooks . He became affiliated with the Chicago Athletic Club while living in that city . Knight was a member of the Detroit Rowing Club from 1898 to 1900 . At the time of the 1900 United States Census , he was living in Detroit and was employed as an agent for a life insurance company . In 1901 , Knight was a representative of the New York Life Insurance Company , at the Majestic Building in Detroit , Michigan . In 1902 , he was employed as a civil engineer for the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co . University of Michigan . In 1901 , Knight enrolled in law school at the University of Michigan , receiving his law degree in 1902 . While studying at Michigan , he played for the Michigan ' s 1901 " Point - a - Minute " football team that finished the season 11 – 0 , outscored opponents 550 to 0 , and won the first college football bowl game , the 1902 Rose Bowl . Knight started at right end in four games for the 1901 Michigan team , including the first two games of the season . He also played as a substitute in the Indiana and Carlisle games . He was also the manager and catcher for the University of Michigan law school class baseball team in 1902 . University of Washington . In 1902 , Knight moved to Seattle , Washington . He was employed from 1902 to 1905 as a civil engineer for the Seattle Electric Co . While in Seattle , he also served as the head athletic instructor and football coach at the University of Washington from 1902 to 1904 , compiling a record of 15 – 4 – 1 . He also served as the rowing and track coach at Washington . In 1905 , he worked for the Boston Copper Co . , of Seattle . Later years . Knight attended the Princeton Theological Seminary from 1905 to 1906 and subsequently moved to Caldwell , Idaho . At the time of the 1910 United States Census , Knight was living in South Caldwell , Idaho , where his occupation was listed as a farmer .