Knake’s decision to stay home a boon for Cornell

MOUNT VERNON - Ben Knake did a couple of television interviews, got his picture taken with the rest of his teammates but never seemed in a hurry to leave the Ash Park field Thursday morning.

He lingered, even laying on the turf at one point, his head propped up by a helmet, as he listened to others being interviewed. It was a poignant scene for a local kid who four years ago never would have dreamed he'd be playing for his local college.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

'I looked around the Iowa Conference. A lot of those schools were recruiting me,” the senior wide receiver from Lisbon said during Cornell's football media day. 'To be honest, I never thought I would be going here. I lived right down the street, but I was one of the first people from my class and everyone else I knew to come to Cornell.

'It was like ‘Why would I go to Cornell? It's so close. I want to get away from home, actually go to college.' But I've really enjoyed my time here. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I made the right choice. God always has a plan.”

Knake will get his degree in kinesiology by the spring of 2016 and plans on going to graduate school somewhere. He wants to be a physical therapist.

His original athletics plan was to play basketball and football for the Rams, but that changed after his freshman year. Even if he doesn't catch a pass this season, he'll go down as one of Cornell's best receivers ever.

One of its best players ever.

'When he came in here, he had a lot of raw talent,” said sixth-year Cornell Coach Vince Brautigam. 'What has made him better is physically he has worked hard ... (He has) worked on the little things that you don't think of. Everybody sees him catching a pass, but he works on breaking down, coming out of a route, coming back to the ball. There is where he has made his biggest gains, and that showed last year. I think he's probably the top wide receiver in our league now, and he's going to get double covered quite a bit probably.

'But he's been good for our other kids, telling them to get ready for the ball, if that happens. He has become a complete teammate, player and person since he's been here.”

The 6-foot, 205-pounder was a first-team all-Midwest Conference pick last season, catching 68 passes (one shy of the school record) and emerging as a dangerous kick returner. He needs 27 receptions to break Cornell's career mark of 211 and also has a shot at the school's career receiving yards record.

'Our receivers coach, Stacy Griffis, has taught me everything I need to know,” Knake said. 'Coming out of high school, I didn't know the receiver position, so I struggled at the start. He took it slow with me, and now I know the ropes. Now I can help teach the younger guys, just like he taught me.”

Knake was a quarterback in high school who helped Lisbon win a state championship. He was asked if having that knowledge helped him adjust to being a wideout.

'A little bit, but not as much as people would think,” he said. 'A lot of coverage structure is different in college. It's more just going out and reacting to what you see. When I was playing quarterback at Lisbon, it wasn't a whole lot of reading coverages. It was just rollout and pass to the guy that's open.”

'I love Ben,” said sophomore quarterback Daniel Brown. 'He showed me the ropes last year. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been as comfortable with everything. If I had a question, if I needed someone to hang out with, to study homework with or to go to dinner with, he was always there. He was always calling my phone, making sure I was up to go to class or to workouts or practice. No matter what it was, I can call on him for anything, and without hesitation.”

Cornell went 5-4 in 2014, its second-consecutive winning season under Brautigam, who has done a good job of turning around the program. With guys like Knake, Brown (2,020 yards of total offense) and all-conference tight end Charles Zilaitis, the Rams are set at the skill positions.

Brautigam said the strength of his freshman class also is at those positions. Worries come on the offensive line and at inside linebacker, where Cornell was hit hard by graduation.

The season begins Sept. 7 with a home night game against Iowa Wesleyan. Then it's at Coe the following week to resume the oldest college football rivalry west of the Mississippi River.

'I think a major difference is that the seniors this year have made the freshmen who came in comfortable right away,” Knake said. 'You know how freshmen are. They're timid right away, not sure what to expect. But I think we've brought them into the family. The leadership on this team is just incredible.”

'Iowa Wesleyan is our first game, we've got to start it off with a bang,” Brown said. 'We just take it day by day. We always say ‘Find a way. Find a way to win, find a way to work.'”

CORNELL FOOTBALL AT A GLANCE

Head Coach: Vince Brautigam (6th season), 19-30 record; 25th season overall, 109-135 overall.

Assistant Coaches: Don Dicus, Jay Davis, Josh Rife, A.J. Rachal, Stacy Griffis, Josh Colbert, Marcus Dunbar, Duane Orr.

Returning Starters: Ben Knake (WR), Daniel Brown (QB), Charles Zilaitis (TE), Martin Arispe (WR), Conrado Dominguez (OL), Jakob May (OL), Christian Perez (OL), Kenny Smith (CB), Mike Faison (DL), Nalik Davis (DL), Maliek Ketchens (FS), Aaron Gruwell (SS), Kaleb Whiting (K), Gabriel Noyce (P).

Last Season's Record: 5-4

Schedule: Sept. 5 - Iowa Wesleyan, 7 p.m.; Sept. 12 - at Coe, 1 p.m.; Sept. 26 - Ripon, 1 p.m.; Oct. 3 - at St. Norbert, 1 p.m.; Oct. 10 - Grinnell, 2 p.m.; Oct. 17 - at Knox, 1 p.m.; Oct. 24 - Monmouth, 1 p.m.; Oct. 31 - at Lake Forest, 1 p.m.; Nov. 7 - Illinois College, 1 p.m.; Nov. 14 - at TBD (North Division opponent), 1 p.m.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com