Marcus Knight became Yale’s wide receivers coach in March 2023 and played a key role in the Bulldogs’ run to the Ivy League championship that fall. He also mentored standout Mason Tipton, a unanimous First Team All-Ivy selection who led the league with 10 touchdown receptions — sixth in the FCS and tied for fourth-most in school history — before signing a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Knight came to Yale after two seasons coaching wide receivers at Ball State. In 2022, he guided Jayshon Jackson, who led the Mid-American Conference with 74 receptions, ranked among the nation’s top 20, and earned All-MAC honors. In 2021, he tutored Justin Hall, a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player. Hall, a seven-time All-MAC selection as a receiver and returner, set program records for career all-purpose yards (5,359) and career receiving yards (3,385) while tying the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a catch (54).
Before Ball State, Knight coached running backs at Indiana State in 2019 and transitioned to receivers in 2020, though the Sycamores did not play that season due to COVID-19. He previously served as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Central Michigan, where his group totaled 3,324 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2017 and produced CFL No. 1 overall pick Mark Chapman.
Knight began his coaching career at Grenada High School (Calif.) before moving into the college ranks with stops at Valparaiso and Northern Michigan.
A 2007 graduate of Michigan, Knight was part of the Wolverines’ 1997 national championship team. He earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 1999 and finished his career ranked among Michigan’s top 15 in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,508).
He went on to play in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reaching Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Raiders. Knight also competed in an Arena Bowl and a high school state championship game.
