Story and Photos by Rusty Ellis
DeKalb County senior Isaac Knowles will be staying local after graduation, as he signed his national letter of intent to play football at Tennessee Tech beginning in the fall.
“I started playing football at the age of six and I’ve loved it ever since,” Knowles said. “Playing college football has always been a dream of mine, and now that I’ve gotten the chance to put pen to paper, it’s a burden lifted off my shoulders.”
Knowles called the recruiting process crazy in the only way his sense of humor would allow, but says that he’s really happy that he’s getting the opportunity that Tech has offered.
“I like to compare it to a crazy ex-girlfriend: nobody wants you until somebody else has you,” Knowles said. “Coach Alexander is a wonderful man. I went down there on my official visit and they treated me like family…just the hospitality and the family-feel we got from Tennessee Tech.”
It’s also a rewarding day for Knowles’ coach at DeKalb County, Steve Trapp, who’s known him since he was younger and always had a feeling this was something he would accomplish.
“I’ve known him my whole life…one of the first things he said was that he was going to be a collegiate football player,” Trapp said. “Nobody has ever played more football games than Isaac Knowles has at DeKalb County…he knew what he wanted to accomplish, and he bought into the process. We’re just excited for him.”
As far as what he’ll miss about DeKalb County, Knowles says it’ll be the community support he always felt from Smithville.
“Everybody supports you and everybody wants what’s best for you,” Knowles said. “In the student section, I had five kids that were painted up with the number five and Knowles on their back, and you’re not going to get that everywhere you go. Just that family vibe, stuff like that I’m going to miss.”
