For Mullen, Knoch, 2023 about payback
Junior quarterback has led Knights to rare 2-0 start
Codi Mullen has had plenty of experience with disappointment during his time as Knoch’s starting quarterback. This season, Mullen wants vengeance — and through two games, he and the Knights finally appear to be headed in the right direction.
Mullen was put through the wringer during Knoch’s 1-9 season in 2022. His development was obvious to those watching, and the result was a school-record 1,660 yards passing. Still, Knoch did not pick up its first win until its final game against Valley. The team’s struggles were not always due to a lack of offense, however, as the Knights scored 21 or more points in half of their games but never seemed to come up with enough stops to find the win column.
When coach Tim Burchett took over last season, it was hard to imagine the program’s results changing in the first year. After all, Knoch’s struggles were nothing new. The Knights went just 2-15 in the two seasons prior to Burchett’s arrival, and Knoch had finished above .500 only once in the previous decade (a 6-4 season in 2019).
On campus, Mullen and his teammates endured jeering at the hands of classmates.
“We’d go around school sometimes last year, and [other students] would be like, ‘Are you guys ready to lose this week?’ and all that,” Mullen said. “It switched our mindset this year because none of us want that.”
This year’s schedule looks a lot like last season, a fact that is not lost on Mullen. So far, the junior’s quest for revenge is going as planned. Knoch is 2-0, and although Mullen is not big (5-foot-9, 170 pounds), his contributions to the Knights are gigantic. After two games, he is fifth in the WPIAL in passing yardage, completing 29 of 42 (69%) for 529 yards. He also has rushed for 106 yards on 23 carries.
Part of the reason for Knoch’s early improvement is a new offense. The Knights no longer use a runheavy, triple-option playbook.
Last season, Knoch was shut out, 48-0, at Hampton in its season opener. In this season’s matchup, Mullen completed four touchdown passes — two to Kaden Spencer — en route to a 45-38 win. The triumph was Knoch’s first against Hampton since 2019 and loudly shattered a streak of three consecutive shutout, blowout losses in the series.
Indiana, Knoch’s opponent last Friday, toppled the Knights 32-31 in overtime a year ago. Last Friday, running back Tony Nicolazzo and Mullen combined for four rushing touchdowns in a 30-24 win.
“We’ve got our running game going and our pass game. We are rolling right now.” Mullen said. “Coming in last week to Indiana, coach was like, ‘It’s a revenge game.’ We’ve got a couple more revenge games we are looking to take from people.”
However, sitting at 2-0, the work is far from done.
“We’ve definitely got some hard opponents coming up, so we’ve got to focus up,” Mullen said.
After 10 losing seasons in 11 years, Mullen says these Knights are aiming at putting those years behind them.
“Having a winning season is definitely up there,” Mullen said when asked about what success looks like for the Knights in 2023. “Having fun, making the playoffs this year — that would definitely be really big.”
Despite maintaining focus on what’s next, Mullen knows his teammates and classmates are especially hungry.
“We play Freeport in a couple weeks, and there’s a trophy that we play for called the Pike. That’s something that we want, for sure. Everyone on the team, they’re all looking at it,” Mullen said.
Knoch last beat Freeport in 2018. Mullen was in sixth grade.
Mullen, who has seen time in Knoch’s defensive secondary as well, loves the idea of being a do-it-all athlete at quarterback. With four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown through two games, he is looking a lot like a former Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots quarterback he looks up to.
“We’ve got a package called ‘ Superman-F’ right now,” Mullen said. “Back in the day, Cam Newton — they used to call him Superman. That was my favorite player growing up.”
Like Newton, Mullen hopes to eventually get his chance to play quarterback in college. His brother, Chase, plays midfield for Marietta College’s lacrosse team in Ohio after also playing quarterback at Knoch. Codi, who also plays lacrosse, listed Pitt and Florida as dream schools at the next level.
Mullen does not take for granted the examples and guidance his family provides. “My brother was a great quarterback in high school. My dad, he’s taught me everything I’ve learned. In my life, my family is what inspires me most,” Mullen said.
A 2-0 start is great, but Mullen knows the Knights’ work toward changing minds on campus and changing the program’s culture on the field is far from finished. The road ahead isn’t getting any easier. Knoch’s next test is a road game at Class 2A Beaver Falls — another opportunity for revenge after a 44-6 loss to the Tigers in 2022.