Scott Knight talks with Nashua South his players after a game this past season. Knight stepped down a few days ago after 22 years as the Panthers head coach, and 36 in the program. (Telgraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Citing a desire to leave a talented, experienced roster for his successor, Nashua High School South football coach Scott Knight has stepped down.

Knight, the Panthers head coach for the last 22 seasons after 14 years as an assistant under three other coaches, informed Nashua athletic director Lisa Gingras of his plans late last week and told his players today.

“It was the right time,” Knight said. “Number one, the cupboard is full. For my successor, that’s a good situation, that’s the main thing. I want to leave something good behind for the next guy, make the transition easier. That’s a great group coming back, They’re going to go places, a real nice team.”

Knight retired from teaching last spring, and this was his first year not being in the building full time. He found that much different than he expected.

“It was more different than I thought it would be,” he said. “I’d been in the building my whole career.”

Knight had moved north to Ashland a year ago and was commuting daily for practice and would stay with friends or family on game nights. That commute didn’t bother him, he said, and there are “plenty of coaches that go from a different work to coach. That’s what they’ve always done. But for me, this was something new, just rolling in at 1:15 whatever. I just had a different vibe coming in. I liked being in the building all day long.”

Knight was an assistant under late Nashua High interim coach John Fagula in 1989, then served on the staff of Nashua coaches Bob Aylward and Bill Hardy as strength and line coach. He took over as head coach when Hardy stepped down in the spring of 2003, and in his 22 seasons won a state title in 2008 at South, after making the finals his first season in 2003 at the one Nashua High, losing to Manchester Central. He coached South to one other final in 2007, bowing to Pinkerton.

The Panthers had reached the Division I semis a few times since 2008. This past season was their best in the last six years, as they finished 8-3, eventually bowing to Londonderry in the quarterfinals.