SEC Power Reportedly Trying to Poach Recently Hired WVU Football Coach

Georgia is working to hire away Larry Knight, who just joined the Mountaineers' staff last month.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Just a month after being hired as the new edges/pass rush specialist for the West Virginia University football program, Larry Knight is reportedly being targeted by the University of Georgia to join their coaching staff. Knight, a native of Augusta, Georgia, previously served in the same role at Arkansas State and has also coached at Temple, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee.

Why it matters

Losing a recently hired assistant coach can be disruptive for a college football program, especially one like WVU that is trying to rebuild and improve its on-field performance. Georgia, as an SEC powerhouse, has significant resources and prestige that can make it difficult for smaller programs to retain top coaching talent.

The details

According to reports, the University of Georgia is actively working to hire away Larry Knight from his new position as the edges/pass rush specialist on the West Virginia University football coaching staff. Knight was just hired by WVU in January 2026 after most recently serving in the same role at Arkansas State. Prior to that, he had coaching stints at Temple, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee.

  • Knight was hired by WVU on January 12, 2026.
  • Georgia is reportedly working to hire Knight away from WVU in February 2026, just a month after he joined the Mountaineers' staff.

The players

Larry Knight

A native of Augusta, Georgia, Knight is the recently hired edges/pass rush specialist for the West Virginia University football program. He has prior coaching experience at Arkansas State, Temple, Georgia Tech, and Tennessee.

Rich Rodriguez

The head coach of the West Virginia University football program, who hired Larry Knight last month to be the team's new edges/pass rush specialist.

University of Georgia

An SEC powerhouse program that is reportedly working to poach Larry Knight from his new position at West Virginia University.

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What they’re saying

“'Larry has done an outstanding job of building defensive lines and developing pass rushers who can bring pressure off the edge. His ability as a lead recruiter at several of his stops brings our program another experienced recruiter. I want to welcome him and his wife, Marquita, to the WVU Football Family.'”

— Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach, West Virginia University (wvsportsnow.com)

What’s next

If Georgia is successful in hiring Larry Knight away from West Virginia, the Mountaineers will need to quickly find a replacement for the key edges/pass rush coaching position on their staff.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the challenges smaller college football programs face in retaining top coaching talent, especially when larger, more prestigious programs come calling. WVU will need to act quickly to either keep Knight or find a suitable replacement in order to maintain stability and continuity on their coaching staff.