Some HBCU athletes’ legacies elevate to the level of legendary. Some don’t have a career full of stats, but to all who experienced their play, they stand out above the rest. That is an accurate description of former Florida A&M (FAMU) football player Sammy Knight.
He played quarterback, kick returner, punter, and wide receiver for Florida A&M coach Rudy Hubbard. He led his Godby Cougars (Tallahassee) to the top-level state championship in 1976 by defeating Miami Carol City, a virtual powerhouse in the state of Florida. He was a part of the 1978 Rattler football team that won the first-ever FCS playoffs, being crowned NCAA Division I-AA national champion. He was also a major part in FAMU’s historic upset of the University of Miami Hurricanes in 1979 when the Rattlers defeated a Howard Schnellenberger-led hurricane team 16-13.
Knight was small in stature, but big on plays. In Hubbard’s option offense, Knight was a threat at quarterback. His ability to read the defense put opponents at a disadvantage. His ability to keep the ball and make big plays was legendary. Knight would reverse field and put the crowd on edge, often retreating ground to speed his way around the edge. He was a solid passer as well.
In Hubbard’s offense, Knight would also play wide receiver. His speed and elusiveness led to big plays for the one of the greatest teams in HBCU football history. That same energy went when he was returning punts. He would switch directions and reverse field with the best of them.
One of Knight’s shining moments was against the University of Miami Hurricanes in 1979. Knight would be elusive as a punt returner, putting the Rattlers in a position to attack the FBS level school. His speed and shifty moves kept the Hurricanes off balance allowing for the Rattler offense to begin in good field position. Knight would also play a pivotal role as a wide receiver in the game that was played at Florida State’s Doak Campbell Stadium.
In another historic HBCU football moment, Knight would be the FAMU punter for the 1978 season. In the NCAA I-AA championship game against the University of Massachusetts, Knight would face an enormous headwind. Former FAMU coach Amos Hill accurately described the scenario in a yet-to-be-released documentary about the season. “We were in Wichita Falls, Texas and it was a cold, windy day. And, the thing that I remember most was Sammy Knight. It was fourth down and we had to punt the ball and we were in our territory on the minus side of the field, Sammy punted the ball and the ball came right back over Sammy’s head and he would have to down it himself,” Hill said. Knight, who had resided in Daytona Beach, FL for the last several years, owned a tree and landscaping business. He became ill last year and succumbed to the illness.