Knowles is a former Clemson walk-on, who played for former football coach Tommy Bowden and current coach Dabo Swinney. He was a defensive end from the spring of 2007 until he graduated in December 2008.
He came to Clemson in 2004 as a 6’4 175 pound civil engineering student, walked on to the team at 6’4 220, and graduated at a solid weight of 265. After his football days and classes were over, Matthew decided to raise money, so he could travel to China to be a volunteer English teacher.
Today, he is a successful actor with over 100 show credits in China that includes television, movies, commercials, and theatre.