Biography
SENIOR (2016): Honorable Mention Academic All-MVFC... Missouri Valley Football Conference President's Council Academic Award... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award... MVFC Honor Roll... Semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, a national award honoring seniors for both academic and athletic achievements... Ended his career having started in all 48 games in his career as the punter and placekicker... finished the regular season 29th nationally in field goals per game (1.09)... averaged 39.2 yards per punt, landing 17 inside the 20-yard line and six punts of 50-plus yards... finished his career fourth all-time in field goals (37), fifth in extra points (139) and fourth in total points (245)... converted all five extra point attempts at Eastern Illinois and matched a career-long 43-yard field goal... made two field goals against Northern Arizona and averaged 46 yards on three punts... averaged 42.5 yards on eight punts, including a long of 50, at Northern Illinois. Converted all four extra point attempts... recorded his 200th career point during the South Dakota State game, converting both extra point attempts... kicked a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter against Indiana State, which proved to be the game-winner... on five punts averaged a career-high 48.4 yards at Missouri State. Kicked a 33-yard field goal and converted all five extra point attempts... kicked two field goals and an extra point against North Dakota State... converted all five extra point attempts, including the game-winner in the final minute at South Dakota... kicked two extra points and matched a career-high of two field goals versus Illinois State... field goal and two extra points versus UNI...kicked two field goals and four extra points at Southern Illinois.
CAREER-HIGH EXTRA POINTS: 6 on two occasions
CAREER-HIGH FIELD GOALS: 2 on 10 occasions
CAREER-LONG FG: 43 at Illinois State (12/5/15); at EASTERN ILLINOIS (9/1/16)
CAREER-LONG PUNT: 65 at Minnesota (9/14/13)
CAREER-BEST PUNT AVG.: 48.4 at MISSOURI STATE (10/15/16)
JUNIOR (2015): Earned a spot on the initial Watch List for the Fred Mitchell Award, which goes to the top place kicker in the country... currently ranks sixth all-time in field goals, fifth in extra points and fifth in scoring among kickers... matched a career-high of two field goals versus Eastern Illinois and made 2-of-3 extra points... averaged 44.2 yards on four punts, putting two inside the 20-yard line... averaged 35.6 yards on seven punts at Illinois, placing one inside the 20-yard line. Had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown... had four kickoffs at Coastal Carolina and converted all three extra point attempts... had a 41-yard FG attempt blocked... kicked the game-winning 20-yard FG with only two seconds left to get the 37-36 win over Southern Illinois... converted 4-of-4 on extra points... named MVFC 'Special Teams Player of the Week'... matched personal-high of two field goals, including a career-long 38 yards, in the win over South Dakota... hit 4-of-5 extra points... kicked a 23-yard fourth quarter field goal to help secure a victory at UNI... added three extra points... went 4-for-4 on extra points at Illinois State... 3-for-3 on extra points versus Youngstown State and averaged 34.0 yards on two punts... kicked an extra point at North Dakota State... had a field goal in three attempts and 4-of-5 on extra points at Indiana State... career-long 42 yard field goal versus South Dakota State and made all three extra point attempts... 46.3 average on three punts... kicked a 27-yard field goal and was 3-for-3 on extra points at Dayton... first time in his career with two field goals of 40-plus yards in the same game (41 and career-long 43 yards) in the playoff game at Illinois State... went 1-for-2 on extra points and 2-of-3 on field goals.
SOPHOMORE (2014): Started as punter and place kicker in all 12 games... ranked seventh nationally in field goal percentage (.917) and 58th averaging 0.92 field goals per game... ninth in the MVFC at 38.5 yards per punt... after two years already ranks eighth in career field goals (14), ninth in extra points (66) and seventh in scoring (108)... made a 24-yard field goal and converted all six extra point attempts versus Valparaiso... had one punt for 41 yards (net)... punted seven times posting a 43.4 average and kicked a 29-yard FG at Wisconsin... went 5-for-5 on extra points, kicked a 20-yard FG, and averaged 32.8 yards on four punts in the Drake contest... averaged 36.5 yards on four punts at Northwestern but had a field goal and punt blocked in the game... averaged 35.9 yards on seven punts at Southern Illinois and kicked a 21-yard field goal... kicked a season-long 30-yard field goal against North Dakota State and converted his extra point attempt... kicked a 23-yard field goal and converted all three extra point attempts at Youngstown State... also averaged 34.5 yards on four punts at YSU, landing one inside the 20-yard line... tied a career-high of two field goals made during the Illinois State game and converted all four extra point attempts... made 1-of-2 extra points against Northern Iowa, averaged a season-best 44.4 yards on eight punts... averaged 40.4 yards on five punts, landing two inside the 20-yard line, at South Dakota... tied a career-high of six extra points... averaged 43.7 yards on three punts, kicked a 21-yard field goal and made all three extra point attempts at South Dakota State... tied a career-high with two field goals in the win over Indiana State, 19 yards and a season-high 35 yards... averaged 33.8 yards on four punts versus ISU and converted all four extra point attempts... received the Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.
REDSHIRT-FRESHMAN (2013):Â Handled all the punting, kicking and kickoff duties... Hit 4-of-5 extra points in his Leatherneck debut against Hampton... averaged 36.4 yards on his seven punts, including a long of 54 yards, and placed four of those inside the 15-yard line... had two field goal attempts blocked... averaged 46 yards on three punts, including a long of 51 yards, against Quincy... named Honorable Mention by the College Football Performance Awards for his punting efforts... missed a field goal and went 4-of-5 on extra points against QU... averaged 40.9 yards on his nine punts at Minnesota, including a long of 65 yards that was the longest by a Western punter in two years... averaged 32.5 yards on six punts at UNLV, and had a touchback on one of his two kickoffs... made his first collegiate field goal, 28 yards against South Dakota... also averaged 34.3 yards on seven punts (three inside the 20) and had two touchbacks... tied for the third-most punts in a game, launching 11 at Illinois State while averaging 39.9 yards... landed three inside the 20-yard line and converted all three extra point attempts... averaged 34.4 yards on eight punts versus South Dakota State and made both extra points... averaged 32.5 yards on four punts at Youngstown State, made both extra points but missed a 40-yard field goal... averaged 39.8 yards on five punts against Missouri State but had one blocked and returned for a TD... made 3-of-4 extra points but also had one blocked... averaged 22.7 yards on six punts versus Southern Illinois, and had his field goal attempt blocked and returned for a touchdown... converted all three extra points and averaged 30.8 yards on four punts... launched two of his four punts inside the 20-yard line at Northern Iowa... set a personal-best kicking two field goals at UNI... received the MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.
FRESHMAN (2012):Â Redshirted
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned Class 2A First Team All-State honors last fall and was an Honorable Mention pick following his junior year... converted on 45 extra points and five field goals during his senior year... set his high school's record by hitting a 47-yard field goal... of his 68 kickoffs last fall, 33 were touchbacks... also rushed for 986 yards and 10 touchdowns at fullback as a senior... recorded 94 tackles on defense... Academic All-Conference all four years and three times earned All-State Academic honors... four-time First Team All-Conference... also earned First Team All-Conference honors at linebacker and fullback following his senior year... two-time Quincy Herald Whig All-Area selection, and was the 2011 Player of the Year... during the last two years converted eight field goals and 86-of-93 extra points... played for coach Brad Dixon... also lettered a year in basketball... finished ranked fifth academically in his class of 58... National Honor Society.
PERSONAL:Â Son of Robert and Cheryl Knuffman... born September 28, 1993... No. 1 sports highlight was going to the playoffs every year in football... his family has been a major influence, "They have always been there for me and I want to make them proud."... enjoys gaming, swimming, and hanging out with friends.
MAJOR:Â Exercise Science (Master's)
