Knapp played college football for Cornell under head coach Maxie Baughan from c. 1985–1986.
He earned the starting quarterback position as a junior in 1985, but was sidelined for part of the season due to a knee injury.
[1] After graduating in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in economics, Knapp was hired by Cornell as the freshmen quarterbacks coach.
Taking advice from friend Roy O'Neil, Knapp joined Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, as a defensive assistant.
[2] Though he only expected to remain with the program for a year or two, Knapp would eventually spend 30 seasons at Wesley.