Alex Neale started showing Brody McKnight the way back in 2013. Now the Eastside Catholic standouts will reunite in Bozeman.
Neale, a former 3-star center who started 11 games at Montana State during the 2016 season a year after transferring from UNLV, started for two years next to McKnight during their high school days at the 3A powerhouse in Sammammish, Washington.
During the 2013 season, McKnight started as a freshman at left guard next to Neale, at the time a junior. Ten games into a season that would end up with Eastside Catholic finishing as the Washington 3A runner-up, Neale went down with an injury. McKnight slid over to center.
“Alex Neale kinda showed me the ropes, right from the start,” McKnight told Northwest Elite Index in February of 2014.
McKnight started for two years next to Neale and for two more with Neale playing in college. Now McKnight is a 6-foot-3, 300-pound guard who started for all four years for the Crusaders, earning All-Metro League accolades along the offensive line each season. McKnight was the 3A Metro Mountain division’s Offensive Lineman of the Year as the Crusaders reached the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. McKnight started 46 games in his prep career. He holds offers from Air Force and Idaho but the chance to play with Neale once again at Montana State was too much to pass up.
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“He loves it there and he was excited when I told him I could come there,” McKnight said. “He told me we are going to go out and be great, beat some teams, play together again.”
McKnight gave his verbal commitment to Montana State in late November after his Eastside Catholic team lost in the semifinals of the 3A playoffs. The 2-star offensive guard is among 18 known prospects to pledge to MSU, including one of four offensive linemen. National Signing Day is the first Wednesday of February in 2017.
“It just felt right,” McKnight said. “They had a really cool vibe going. They felt so alive. It felt like they were going to come up and do something big. It seems like it is all coming together.
“I really liked the school, the season was coming to an end and I felt that was the right place for me. I love the outdoors aspect of it. The football field is awesome and the surrounding area. I loved the downtown, the main drag, the whole town.”
Montana State head coach Jeff Choate spent two seasons at Washington before taking the MSU job before the 2016 season. Choate frequently recruited the greater Seattle area and forged a relationship with Eastside Catholic head coach Jeremy Thielbahr. The former Washington State standout coached on Mike Kramer’s staff at MSU from 2004 until 2006. He coached for four years at Idaho before coming to EC before the 2012 season.
“Our program is tough,” McKnight said. “I think it’s gotten me ready for this.”
Choate first contacted McKnight in September. McKnight helped the Crusaders to an 11-2 record, the lone regular-season loss coming to O’Dea High, the eventual Washington 3A runner-up. Eastside Catholic lost to Kamiakin in semifinals. Kamiakin beat O’Dea in the 3A state championship game.
McKnight said he is not sure if four years of starting on varsity will transition smoothly to the Division I level. But he’s hopeful.
“I’m not sure, I haven’t played D-I yet but I know I love football,” McKnight said. “It’s always been my favorite sport. I think it will have me more ready than not doing it.”
McKnight initially heard from Choate and was impressed with MSU’s new head coach upon first impression. McKnight has been to Bozeman but will make his official visit in January. He has never attended a Montana State football game. But his conversations with Choate sold him on his future.
“(Choate) reminds me a lot of my own head coach,” McKnight said. “They are pretty good friends. I liked the energetic feel he gave off, how good of a leader he was. You could just feel it coming off him. You could feel he was striving for something great with that team, trying to build something. Those were the main reasons why I committed.”
McKnight could have chosen to play in the Mountain West or the Sun Belt. Instead, he will reunite with a former teammate and chase championships with the Bobcats.
“It’s just a dream come true, feels great to know I’m going to continue playing my favorite sport,” McKnight said.
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