Luke Knott expects to be 'better than ever' after hip heals

By Rob Gray

 Correspondent

 AMES - Just another challenge to overcome.

That's how Iowa State linebacker Luke Knott views his upcoming surgery to repair a painful left hip injury - a procedure from which he expects to emerge bigger, faster and stronger then ever.

And that's saying something, considering the whirlwind journey the 6-1, 216-pound former quarterback has made in less than two seasons on campus.

“Kind of a motivational tool for me this offseason, getting the game that you love stripped away from you,” said Knott, who will cheer on and coach up his teammates from the Jack Trice Stadium sidelines when the Cyclones (1-7, 0-5) face TCU (3-6, 1-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday. “Just using that as fuel, I guess you could say, coming into the 2014 season.”

Knott started five straight games after replacing junior Jevohn Miller in the Iowa loss, but sat out the past two games because of the injury, which has bothered him since fall camp.

He posted a career-best 11 tackles in the 31-30 loss to Texas and said he plans to consult with a specialist Thursday and have the surgery performed as soon as possible.

Knott noted Tuesday there's not a “clear-cut” diagnosis at this point, hence the search for specific answers pre-surgery.

“Just a lot of pain in my hip,” Knott said.

The pain, Knott added, doesn't shoot through his joint while he walks.

It's football movements that cause it to spike, thus hampering performance.

“If you can't run around on the football field, especially in the Big 12, you're not going to be very effective,” Knott said. “And if I can't get to my gap because I'm not fast enough, because my hips hindering me, then I think I needed to get it fixed.”

ISU coach Paul Rhoads said the surgery will likely force Knott to miss spring ball, as well.

“There's a huge ceiling left that he can get to and losing him because of this injury hurts his growth, stunts his growth a little bit,” Rhoads said.

It also forces junior Jevohn Miller to accelerate his growth.

Knott replaced him in the starting lineup after the season-opening Northern Iowa loss.

“Him going in front was a little wake-up call,” said Miller, who had his best game, according to Rhoads, in last week's loss at Kansas State. “But I just try to keep working hard and practicing hard.”

Cyclone defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said competing for his job brought about a “complete change” in Miller's approach to the game.

“It's too bad we don't have competition everywhere,” Burnham said. “A lot of people might be learning that.”

What Knott's effort to play through the pain showed coaches and teammates was something they already knew.

“He's very tough,” linebacker and leading tackler Jeremiah George said. “Sometimes I think he's tougher than his brother (former ISU all-American and current Philadelphia Eagle Jake Knott) because he has to deal with a little bit more. Not only is he Jake Knott's younger brother, but he also has to come in and compete as a redshirt freshman and try to play. I'm proud of him and I can't wait to see his career blossom.”

Neither can Jake, who has plenty of experience with playing through pain and rehabbing from surgeries.

“He told me I'm going to come back better than ever,” Luke Knott said. “Just kind of like he's came back better than ever. He got his shoulder fixed up and now he's living one of his lifelong dreams.”