Tom Knotts has a new challenge at Dutch Fork: coaching his son
Tom Knotts has coached his share of quarterbacks during his more than 40 years in high school football. But none has come from inside his own house.
That will be the case this season as Knotts’ son Jaxon will take over as starting quarterback for Dutch Fork.
The Silver Foxes are going for their fourth straight state championship. They took the field July 31 as high school football practice started for public schools around the state.
“I have coached a bunch of good ones. I hope my son follows in that mold,” Tom Knotts said. “He has had a big offseason. He has gotten bigger, gotten stronger. But it is frustrating coaching your own son. One thing you’ve got to remember to do is not take it home with you. I am a guy who has trouble leaving football out here on the field. I am a work in progress when it comes to that.
“It is tough to coach your own son, but it is very rewarding when he does well and responds to coaching.”
Knotts admitted that he was hoping his son would one day be a quarterback and he’s grateful for the opportunity to coach him. He is notoriously tough on his quarterbacks and won’t be taking it easy on his son.
“I am tougher on him than anybody else. I feel like I have been telling him the same things since he was in the third grade,” Tom Knotts said. “He is new age (like) Aaron Rodgers and wants to do this new-age quarterback stuff. I’m Steve Spurrier about how to throw the football. So we butt heads about some fundamentals.
“But he has a great arm and an elite wrist flick. He gets rid of it good. He is really smart.”
Jaxon is well aware of his father’s personality. He tries not to take any criticism personally.
“I feel like I am better at taking his criticism in a way that will make me better,” he said.
Some of the quarterbacks to play for Tom Knotts include Chris Leak and Joe Cox from his time at Independence High School in Charlotte. Leak set the North Carolina state passing record and went on to help Florida win a national championship. Cox also was a prolific passer, went on to play at Georgia and now is an assistant coach at Ole Miss.
At Dutch Fork, Ty Olenchuk and Will Taylor have been among the most notable quarterbacks. Olenchuk set numerous passing records at Dutch Fork and helped the Silver Foxes to three titles. Taylor won a state title in his lone season and is now playing baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
Jaxon Knotts, who was a ball boy as a kid for Dutch Fork, watched from the sidelines as Olenchuk and Taylor led the Silver Foxes to state championships. He missed time during his freshman season with an injury and was the team’s backup quarterback last season behind Ethan Offing.
He threw passes in four games last season, completing 14 of 28 for 114 yards.
“Glad to be out here, grateful for it,” Jaxon said. “I have been waiting for it. I have been watching Ty Olenchuk, Will Taylor, so I have always been waiting for it. It finally is time to do it.”
Jaxon becomes the latest area signal caller to play quarterback for his father. AJ Brand and Will Wilson had success playing for their dads, with Brand leading Irmo to a state championship appearance and being named S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year last season. Wilson was a four-year starter at Richland Northeast and was named Mr. Football this season.
This season, there are three sons playing for their dads who are head coaches — Knotts, Ridge View’s Tre Howard and Camden’s Graysen Rimpf.
Knotts’ time to start comes a year earlier than expected. Offing, a Clemson baseball commit, decided to give up football to concentrate on baseball.
“Ethan was good about it and said because Jaxon is going to be the quarterback, it made his decision a whole lot easier,” Tom Knotts said. “Ethan handled it the right way. I would have loved to see what Ethan could do this year but when it is time to move on, it is time to move on. Baseball offers a whole lot of money and he has a chance to do it.
“Jaxon is excited to be a two-year starter and I am excited to see his growth and development.”
Jaxon Knotts, who is close friends with Offing, said once the news was official that he would be the starter, he turned things up another notch in preparation for the season.
“It was a whole different mindset. I had to get bigger, stronger and faster,” said Jaxon, who now benches 335 pounds. “Now, I feel like I’ve got a good grasp on things and I am ready to play.”
Dutch Fork 2025 football schedule
Aug. 29: vs. Spartanburg
Sept. 5: vs. Ridge View
Sept. 12: at Gray Collegiate
Sept. 19: at Oceanside Collegiate (game at The Citadel)
Oct. 3: vs. Chapin
Oct. 10: at White Knoll
Oct. 17: vs. Lexington
Oct. 24: vs. River Bluff
Oct. 31: at Irmo
This story was originally published August 2, 2025 at 7:47 AM.
