Less than a week after he captured a national championship with Ohio State, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has decided to return to his home state to coach.
The Philadelphia native and St. Joseph’s Prep alum will become Penn State’s next defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports on Sunday. Knowles has been with Ohio State since 2022, and reportedly will be the highest-paid coordinator in college football history. The deal, according to ESPN, is worth $3.1 million over three years.
Under Knowles, the Buckeyes defense was No. 1 in the country in yards allowed per game (254.6), points allowed (12.9), second in first downs allowed per game (15.1), and third in passing yards (167) and rushing yards per game (87.6). His defense particularly shined in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff run, collecting 16 sacks in four wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame.
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The hire comes nearly two weeks after Tom Allen left Penn State to take the defensive coordinator’s job at Clemson. The Nittany Lions are returning a number of starters from last season’s defense, including edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, tackle Zane Durant, linebacker Dominic DeLuca, and end Smith Vilbert, among others. The Nittany Lions defense ranked seventh nationally in total defense (294.8 yards per game), eighth in points allowed (16.5), ninth in rushing yards allowed (101.9), and held 10 opponents to 14 points or fewer.
A 1983 alumnus of the Prep, the 59-year-old Knowles has been a defensive coordinator at the Football Bowl Subdivision level since 2010. He spent eight seasons with Duke in that role before joining Oklahoma State in 2018. He spent four seasons in Stillwater before becoming the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator, and completely reshaped the defenses at Oklahoma State and Ohio State. In his final season with Oklahoma State, it ranked in the top five in sacks (No. 1), tackles for losses (No. 2), third-down defense (No. 2), total defense (No. 5), and rushing defense (No. 5).
Knowles will be tasked with helping Penn State’s defense elevate its play even further, fresh off a College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl. With stars coming back on the offensive side of the ball as well, including quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, the Nittany Lions could be poised for another playoff run with the hiring of Knowles.
Penn State will visit Columbus, Ohio, to face Ohio State on Nov. 1 next season, a chance for Knowles to face his old squad.