McKnight was a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Lions in the early to mid-90's. He was a three-time All-MIAA pick, while earning All-American honors as a senior. McKnight played in the 1995 Snow Bowl (the Division II All-Star Game) and was the team captain in 1995, while also being a member of the Lions' 1993 MIAA Championship team.

Currently the head strength and conditioning coach for football at Iowa State University, McKnight is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, a certified strength and conditioning coach, as well as a USA weightlifting level 1 certified coach. A 2001 graduate of Southern with a major in general studies, McKnight was an assistant strength coach at Oklahoma State from 2003-05, before moving on to Louisiana Tech as the head coach from 2005-06. He was the head strength coach at Rice from 2006-09 before moving on to his current position at Iowa State.

McKnight and his wife Lynn, have two sons Brock and Brody. He and his family reside in Ames, Iowa.