From Wynnewood to Waco: Baylor freshman Caden Knighten’s Moment Arrives

Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

Population: 2,000 Its tatted on me, my street, my lane.

I keep it everywhere I go, so I can remind myself where I came from.

When people ask me where I come from, I love it.

These are the roots of Baylor true freshman running back Caden Knighten.

Roots that were watered, grown, and developed, and one that can hopefully, sprout up for Baylor football in a big way in 2025.

With the recent season-ending injury to junior running back Dawson Pendergrass , the freshman from small-town Oklahoma the same town where Joe Exotic, Carole Baskins, and all the big cats hail from that had America captivated during the beginnings of COVID is set to fill a big void in the Baylor backfield, and potentially become a breakout star.

This is everything I prayed for and dreamed about.

I prayed for this, so why step away from it? Caden says it, not with arrogance or boastfulness, but with the quiet confidence of someone knowing that this could be his time.

Cadens athletic roots run deep, with his uncle James Allen, a standout running back for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1993-97, who carved out a 4-year NFL career which included a 1,100-yard season in 2000 and over 3,000 scrimmage yards for the Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers.

His father was a standout track athlete who ran for the U.S.

Olympic U18 team, passing down the blazing speed that made Knighten a two-time Oklahoma 100-meter champion.

That speed is what put him on Baylor running backs coach Khenon Halls radar early.

My freshman year, I ran track, and I ran 10.74, in like my first ever high school track meet.

So, I woke up the next morning, with Khenon Hall, calling my trainer to offer me, when he was at SMU at the time.

says Knighten.

Despite growing up less than 45 minutes from Norman, in-state power Oklahoma never offered him, while Oklahoma State passed as well.

Despite this, there was no shortage in Cadens recruitment, until adversity hit the same exact adversity that his current teammate is dealing with.

Id gotten hurt my junior year.

I had the same exact injury that Dawson just got, the same injury on the same foot, so it put me out my junior year.

A lot of schools kind of backed off, because I was committed to Vanderbilt at the time, but I was going to flip to USC, but I never flipped to USC.

Going into his senior year, his top seven consisted of Baylor, Colorado, Michigan State, Houston, SMU, Kansas, and Kansas State, with Texas A&M making a big push to swoop in and sign him right before signing day.

Ultimately, his relationship with Hallbuilt over yearsis what convinced him that Waco was home.

Coach Hall, hed been throughout my whole process in recruiting.

He would just always put in effort, when other people wouldnt.

He always went out of his way to make sure I was good, because he saw my potential before I could even see my potential.

Hed told me, I want you to be by my side and were going to be able to do something.

So, senior year, Im uncommitted, and immediately, once he offered me once he got to Baylor, I hadnt even stepped foot on campus, I committed.

An early enrollee in January, he says his biggest adjustment was the speed of the college game versus high school.

But, with the help of both Dawson, who Knighten describes as the father and elder statesman of the running back room (with Pendergrass being the only upperclassman running back on Baylors roster) and Bryson Washington, who he describes as more of an older brother, he quickly got adjusted both on and off the field.

That guidance accelerated his push for early reps even before Pendergrass injury in practice last Wednesday.

It was like a two-minute drill, like a goal-line situation, he runs in through the A-gap.

I think someone stepped on his foot, he rolls over, and I think its like a sprained ankle, or, like, he just rolled it, but he said he couldnt really walk on it.

But, the next day, he said he couldnt really move it, hes in a boot, the day after that, he finds out he has to go have surgery.

It just sucks, man.

It really hits home, because I went through the same experience, so I know what hes feeling.

So, the thing that we can do the best for him, is just be there for him, and let him know how much of a great leader he is, and a brother he is.

In looking to replace what Dawson brought to the offense last year, Knighten says hes ready to fill the void.

In my mindset, I feel I can get the job done and be just as beneficial.

Like they say, next man up, and I was built for this.

I think I bring the home run speed like you mentioned, also, Im real physical, so, both these things, I think its going to bring something different to the program.

I think a lot of people are going to be surprised.

Speaking of surprised, Baylor fans may be surprised to learn Caden plans to excel not only on the football field, but in spikes in the spring -- and maybe even the diamond.

I want to [run track].

Its in the works, actually.

Thats actually a question for me, I want to ask my coach.

Either that, or baseball.

Believe it or not, nobody knows, but I would say Im almost better at baseball than I am at football.

I wanted to be in the MLB so bad when I was growing up.

[I play] shortstop and pitcher.

Im a lefty, so I naturally have a curve, so I throw a knuckle curve, and fastball, I can throw 90 MPH, thats what I threw my junior year in high school after my foot healed.

My coaches can testify, radar gun and everything.

Caden knows the stage is set his first ever college game is set to be a primetime night showdown versus a nationally-branded SEC program.

But beyond that, hes ready to let people know how Caden Knighten the football player, but more importantly, who Caden Knighten the person is.

I want people to know me as a man of God, and like I said, a man of character, a man who loves the people around him, the relationships, the friendships.

And he knows its more than just him hes representing.

Not just his hometown of Wynnewood, but the name on the back of the jersey, that motivation, his why that keeps him pushing through late night drills and early 6 AM workouts, the reason why hes made it, to where he is.

The biggest reason I do this is for my family, my mother especially.

So, I really do it for the name, the people that didnt know about us, the people that didnt know about me, the people that always doubted me.

I do it, to prove a point, that you can be a somebody, no matter where you come from, no matter what obstacles were in your way.

I do this for my mom, all this is for her, and just to re-pay her back.

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