How Josh Heupel and other college football coaches reacted to QB Deuce Knight's transfer to Lipscomb Academy
Deuce Knight wore a yellow no-contact jersey with the rest of Lipscomb Academy's quarterbacks in what was his second practice at the Nashville private school after he and his family moved from Mississippi to Nashville.
There the 6-foot-4, 195-pound quarterback and biggest transfer in the state during an offseason with eye-opening moves patiently waited his turn on Aug. 1 behind junior Tav Shaffer, senior Jackson Kilburg and others.
He received no special treatment. He wasn't handed over the job as starting quarterback. That would need to be earned like every other position. First-year Lipscomb Academy coach Kevin Mawae said after practice no starting quarterback has been named and he wasn't ready to say when that decision would be made.
But it's easy to see the talent in every left-handed pass Knight makes or every run when he keeps it on a read-option play.
"I'm just trying to get the signals down first and then get to the plays," Knight said. "I can sit back and watch the other guys doing stuff."
The junior is the No. 5 quarterback in the country and now No. 4 recruit in Tennessee according to the 247Sports Composite. It's why college coaches are lined up trying to get him at their school. That includes Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who represent some of Knight's top choices.
Knight, a four-star prospect, threw for 1,929 yards, rushed for 488 yards and had 23 total touchdowns in nine games for George County (Miss.) in 2022.
"He's talented," Mawae said. "He's young and talented. We do things a little different here then the way he did there."
College football coaches react to Deuce Knight's transfer
Mawae's cell phone began to blow up on July 30 after Knight tweeted his transfer to Lipscomb Academy. It came after a week during which Knight visited both Notre Dame and Ole Miss.
"A few of my friends in the college ranks reached out to me," Mawae said. "One, they were asking if it was true. And I was like, 'Yeah, that's what I was told.' And then all their responses were positive things about him and what they knew about him. Some of the guys I spoke to had been (recruiting) him since last year.
"It's all positive. Everyone thinks it's going to be a good experience for him to be here."
Notre Dame is a big school in Knight's recruitment, he said.
Tennessee is also in the picture. Heupel reached out to Knight after his first day at Lipscomb Academy and asked how the transition to a new school had gone.
"Coach Heupel texted me," Knight said. "He asked if I was learning the playbook well and see if I felt if it was a good fit and everything."
Knight said his father's new job brought him to Nashville from Mississippi.
Knight was familiar with some of his new Lipscomb teammates through offseason 7-on-7 tournaments. That helped the transition to a new school and new football program. And the Mustangs welcomed him with open arms despite the late-July arrival.
"I like how much love they have shown," Knight said. "I got up here and all the players shook my hand and introduced themselves. You see some places were it's like, 'Oh, you are the new guy.' They welcomed me with open arms."
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Learning Lipscomb Academy program
Lipscomb Academy opens its season Aug. 18 hosting national powerhouse IMG Academy of Bradenton, Florida. The Mustangs travel to Alabama defending Class 6A state champion Saraland the following week in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN.
Knight said prior to his arrival at Lipscomb Academy he had never been in a huddle. Play calls and pass protections are more complicated than what he was used to in Mississippi.
Those have been some of the biggest on-the-field challenges.
"Not to diss my old team, but we did a lot of simple things," he said. "We did all one-word play calls. This, what we're doing, is going to make me ready for college. It's teaching me to huddle, going under center. Today I just got in the huddle. I'd never done that in my life. At my old school we just ran one pass protection. Here, it's multiple.
"I'm picking it up kind of fast."
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly known at Twitter @Kreager.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Deuce Knight: Four-star quarterback settles in at Lipscomb Academy
