Contemporary off a nationwide championship run with Ohio State, Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has accepted the identical place at Huge Ten rival Penn State. Knowles is anticipated to develop into the highest-paid defensive coordinator within the historical past of school soccer with a wage vary averaging $3.1 million over three years, in accordance with ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Knowles, a Philadelphia native with sturdy ties to the Northeast, remodeled the Buckeyes’ protection throughout a powerful three-year stint. Ohio State ranked prime three in whole protection every of the previous two seasons and led the nation by holding opponents to 254.6 yards per sport and 4.2 yards per play throughout a historic marketing campaign.
Previous to Ohio State, Knowles emerged as a standout title at Oklahoma State, the place he led the Cowboys to a top-five nationwide protection and look within the Huge 12 Championship Sport in 2021. He beforehand had a standout stretch at Duke as a defensive coordinator and served as coach of Cornell, his alma mater, from 2004-2009.
At Penn State, Knowles shall be tasked with persevering with to raise one of many prime defenses in faculty soccer. The Nittany Lions ranked No. 6 nationally beneath earlier defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who left after one season to take the identical place at Clemson. Regardless of three defensive coordinators previously 4 seasons, the Nittany Lions have ranked prime 10 nationally in protection every season.
Knowles picked Penn State’s large contract provide over main curiosity from Oklahoma and a robust push from Ohio State to maintain him. Penn State will rank among the many nationwide favorites getting into the 2025 season with the return of quarterback Drew Allar and working backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki additionally turned down head teaching curiosity to return to Glad Valley.
Energy transfer for Penn State
Penn State reached the semifinal spherical of the inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff and held a second-half result in attain the nationwide championship earlier than falling simply quick vs. Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions have been energized by the efficiency and shelled out severe NIL cash to contend in 2025.
Maybe simply as vital, Penn State’s fortunes modified dramatically in 2024 with the hiring of Kotelnicki from Kansas, and he is turned down head teaching alternatives to stay with this system in 2025. The Nittany Lions shall be among the many nationwide favorites getting into 2025. With back-to-back main coordinator hires, the Nittany Lions are appearing like a historic blue-blood program.
Uncommon loss for Ohio State
Dropping coordinators is widespread for nationwide championship groups. Former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning left in 2021 to take the Oregon job, whereas offensive coordinator Todd Monken left after 2022 to take the identical job with the Baltimore Ravens within the NFL. Nevertheless, transferring from one faculty coordinator position to a different is way much less widespread.
The truth is, no Ohio State major coordinator has left voluntarily to take a university assistant job in not less than 20 years. The rumored wage of greater than $3 million would possibly merely be an unpalatable quantity at this level for a coach, particularly as key gamers are getting even greater rumored affords to switch. (Star wideout Jeremiah Smith, for instance, has reportedly been supplied round $4.5 million to switch.) But when nothing else, it is a main shift in the best way that assets shall be allotted at elite packages.
Previous to Knowles, each Ryan Day and former Ohio State coach City Meyer cycled by means of defensive coordinators looking for consistency, particularly after Luke Fickell left for the Cincinnati job. The Buckeyes now have the largest coordinator opening in the marketplace.
