Stampeding Through the 2025 USF Football Roster: #1 CB Ben Knox
USF is playing football tomorrow. Let's celebrate by profiling one of their top corners.
We’re almost there, y’all.
PLAYER: Ben Knox
POSITION: Cornerback
YEAR: Redshirt senior
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6’2”, 205 lbs.
HOW DID HE GET HERE? If you can believe it, Knox committed to Charlie Strong (!!!) back in 2019. Back then, he was a low-to-mid three-star recruit out of DeLand with offers from USF, Colorado State, and Charlotte. He committed to the Bulls and stayed locked in through the coaching change to Jeff Scott.
Knox’s first three seasons in Tampa were quiet. He saw steadily increasing playing time in each of Jeff Scott’s three years, but only racked up seven tackles during that span. After sticking around through another coaching change, Knox was reportedly having an excellent offseason in 2023, but suffered a knee injury in fall camp and missed the entirety of the season. That did give him one more year of eligibility, of which he took full advantage.
HOW WAS HIS 2024 SEASON? By far the best of his college career. Knox wasn’t a starter for the Bulls, but he was a team leader (he was selected to go to American Conference media days before the season) and a regular contributor in the secondary. His playing time really ticked up towards the end of the season, and he made two plays that really stuck in my memory. The first was an ultimately meaningless pass break-up late in the fourth quarter against FAU; the game was already settled, but after the rather rude beatdown that the Owls gave the Bulls in 2023, I think a lot of Bulls fans were feeling very strongly about not giving up any garbage time points. Knox made a great jump on the ball on 4th and 2 from the three yard line, breaking up a would-be touchdown pass to an open receiver (see 12:06 below).
The second was arguably one of the plays of the year for the Bulls. Against Tulsa - again, with the game well in hand - Knox got beat in single coverage by his assigned receiver, who sprinted past him en route to an apparent easy score. But with the receiver closing in on the end zone, Knox caught up to him and punched the ball out at very literally about the five yard line, then somehow recovered the ball in stride at very literally the Bulls’ one yard line. It was an absolute stunner of an effort play, the sort of thing that made you do a double take when watching it live.
Knox ended the season with a career-high 22 tackles and a sack. Per PFF, he was fourth in snaps among USF corners, behind Brent Austin, De’Shawn Rucker, and Kajuan Banks. He played pretty much exclusive as an outside corner.
SPOT ON WEEK ONE DEPTH CHART: Knox is listed as a co-starter at one of the cornerback spots, along with James Chenault and Georgia State transfer Izaiah Guy. Lots of “ORs” here.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2025? USF lost Austin, one of their outside corners, to the transfer portal this offseason. Knox, along with Chenault, Guy and Wisconsin transfer Jonas Duclona, is one of the frontrunners to replace him in the starting lineup. Even if Knox doesn’t end up winning the job, he’ll still be a critical member of the secondary again.
Also, it’s just tough not to love Knox’s story. He’s been at USF for six years now and has had to deal with two coaching changes, some truly putrid teams, and a season-ending injury. During that span, he’s appeared in 32 games. You know what he hasn’t done yet? Start a game. I’ll go on record and say he gets that first start this season. No matter what, when he comes out for senior day, be sure to give him an awfully big ovation.