Two Northeastern Football Coaches Step Down

Northeastern State football coach Kenny Evans has announced that Mike Knoll and Greg Richmond have left their respective posts on the NSU coaching staff.

Knoll, assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator, has announced his retirement from coaching, while Richmond, defensive line coach, has announced he is taking a job with an agency where he will be mentoring underprivileged youth.

Knoll served on NSU's staff since January 2010 and spent 37 years as a collegiate coach. Prior to his final coaching stint, he was the head coach at Upper Iowa University from 2005-08. He was the defensive coordinator at Bacone College in 2004 before earning the head coaching job with the Peacocks.

"Having Mike on the staff for the last three years has been one of the biggest things that has contributed to our success," NSU coach Kenny Evans said. "He headed up our recruiting efforts, and it was great for me as a first-time head coach to have someone with his background and expertise."

Knoll's career began at Missouri Western State, where he was the linebacker coach from 1975-77.

He has also coached at the University of Tulsa (1979, defensive line – 1980-82 and 1993-97, defensive coordinator), Iowa State (1983, defensive coordinator) and Miami (1984-85, defensive backfield and linebackers). He was the head coach at New Mexico State from 1986-89, and he was also on the Aggies staff in 1978 at the outside linebacker coach.

During his time at Miami, he coached in one of the most famous games in college football history. He was on the field on Nov. 23, 1984, for "Hail Flutie", when Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie threw a 48-yard pass on the final play of the game to defeat 12th-ranked Miami in the Orange Bowl. Knoll served under legendary Jimmy Johnson at Miami.

"Mike has coached in maybe the greatest game ever played, and he's been a head coach at both the Division I and Division II levels," Evans said. "He's probably as well-known as any coach in the country. He has always been a first class guy, and he's had success at every level. I'm so happy to say that I was able to have him on my staff."

Richmond spent three years coaching the defensive linemen at Northeastern State. He joined the RiverHawk staff following a stint at Oklahoma City's Douglass High School.

Richmond served as the strength & conditioning coach at Oklahoma State for two seasons. He was a first-team All-Big 12 performer at OSU, and he was captain of the Cowboys in 2003. He played both linebacker and defensive end in college.

He also spent time in the NFL as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Greg was a young coach that was great for us in his first collegiate coaching job," Evans said. "I think he would have had a bright future in this profession, but he has a chance to do something special that is extremely important and fulfilling for him. He will be mentoring young kids who need help in life, and I applaud him as a person to be able to take on a challenge like that."