Limestone University

Following a year at Division III Muskingum University, Lane Knost has returned to the Limestone University football program in 2023, serving as the Offensive Coordiantor tight end coach, and the recruiting coordinator. Overall, Knost is entering his seventh season on the football coaching staff.

After taking over a program that was 3-24 in the SAC from 2018-2021, Limestone is now 15-3 in the last two seasons within the conference, tying for the best record in each of those two seasons.

Knost helped guide Limestone to back-to-back playoff berths for the first time in school history with an 8-win season and Co-Piedmont SAC Championships. In 2023, Limestone finished conference play with an 8-1 record, tied for best in the league. Knost coached an offense that was number one in the SAC in total offense, passing, and third down conversions. The offense was also second in points and fourth in total rushing.

Coach Knost also helped guide quarterback Dustin Noller to SAC Offensive Player of the Year, the first in program history. Limestone had a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in Tre Stewart and Jelani Baker, respectively. Noller also became the first player in school history to throw for over 3,000 yards. The 2023 offense ranked in the top-15 nationally in total offense, while sitting in the top-10 in passing offense.

As the passing game and recruiting coordinator, Knost coached Herman McCray IV to an ALL-SAC season, the first tight end to do so in school history.

Knost originally joined the Limestone coaching staff under head coach Mike Furrey in 2016 and spent the next five seasons in a variety of roles, including tight ends coach, outside linebackers coach, and wide receivers coach. During the 2021 campaign, he was the receivers coach and special teams coordinator with Muskingum.   
 
In his lone season with the Fighting Muskies, he helped lead the program to its best record in 18 years and a top-5 finish in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Knost mentored a pass game that averaged 243.7 yards per game in 2021 while coaching Zuri Edmonson to a record-shattering season in which he finished with the second highest single season marks in program history for most catches and receiving yards.
 
Knost, a 2014 USA College Football NAIA All-American, served as the tight ends coach under Furrey when he first came to Limestone in 2016 and was then the outside linebackers coach in 2017. He stayed on staff when Furrey went to the Chicago Bears and served as the wide receivers coach in 2018 and then added special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator to his list of responsibilities in 2019 and 2020.
 
He guided the third-ranked passing attack in the SAC during the 2019 season as the Saints averaged 199.4 yards per game. Limestone had two receivers, Juwan Scott and Quay Brown, that enjoyed breakout seasons as the duo both ranked in the league’s top-10 in yardage and touchdown receptions.
 
In his first year mentoring the wide receivers group in 2018, the Saints combined to haul in 187 catches for 2,198 yards and 11 touchdowns. Knost was particularly involved in developing Cody Rau, an All-SAC selection, after the senior posted a breakthrough season with 47 catches for 700 yards and eight scores.  
 
During his first two seasons in the Blue and Gold, Limestone posted a 9-12 overall record while registering a 3-4 mark in the program’s first season in the South Atlantic Conference in 2017.
 
In 2016, he coached a tight end corps that combined for 21 receptions, 226 yards and a TD before moving to the defensive side of the ball in 2017. During his tenure as the linebackers coach, he mentored Evan Patrick, a Second-Team All-SAC selection, and Joey Felder, an AstroTurf SAC Defensive Player of the Week. The duo combined for 126 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four sacks.    
 
Knost, who played for Furrey at Kentucky Christian University and has the distinction of being the first college recruit for the then young coach, joined the Limestone staff after serving as the tight ends coach at NCAA Division III Marietta College (Ohio). He mentored the top tight end unit in the conference during his lone season with the Pioneers as the group combined for 27 catches, 310 yards and two touchdowns.
 
A four-year standout while at Kentucky Christian, Knost earned USA College Football NAIA All-American honors as a senior in 2014 and was invited to play in the USA College Football Bowl. He was a member of the Knights when the team earned the program’s first national ranking during the 2012 campaign.
 
In addition to his time at Marietta, he has coached at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Camp at UCLA, with Athletes in Action during a trip to Puebla, Mexico, and with Camp Concern Christian Youth Camp in Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
Knost graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in University Studies – Bible with a minor in Human Services from Kentucky Christian in 2015.