Jim Knowles is leaving Ohio State.
After leading college football’s best defense in 2024, Knowles is leaving his post as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator to take on the same position at Penn State, according to multiple reports.
Reliable sources confirm that barring last second change of heart, Jim Knowles is headed to Penn State. He has notified James Franklin that hell accept their offer of well over $3 million to be highest paid coordinator in college football history. Knowles is from Philly.
— Toby Rowland (@TRowOU) January 26, 2025
Sources: Penn State is set to hire Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles as its own defensive coordinator.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) January 26, 2025
More here:https://t.co/4i7s2akyHG
Ohio State DC Jim Knowles is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at Penn State, sources tell @YahooSports. The two sides are in the process of finalizing an agreement. Big hire for James Franklin.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 26, 2025
Knowles’ decision to leave Ohio State to be a defensive coordinator elsewhere is an unusual move given that Knowles was college football’s third-highest-paid defensive coordinator in 2024, according to USA TODAY, with a salary of $2.2 million. He would have been in line for another raise if he stayed at Ohio State, as the Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday that Ohio State had offered Knowles a contract that would make him college football’s highest-paid defensive coordinator.
Ryan Day made it clear on Tuesday that he valued Knowles highly.
“I think he's the best defensive coordinator in the country,” Day said. “Does an unbelievable job, did an unbelievable job throughout the season.”
Knowles, however, decided he was ready for a change after three years with the Buckeyes. He also fielded interest from Oklahoma and Notre Dame for their defensive coordinator openings, but ultimately decided to accept an offer from Penn State, returning to his home state of Pennsylvania.
Knowles is signing a three-year deal with the Nittany Lions that is reportedly worth an average of $3.1 million per year, making him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football.
Sources: Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is finalizing a three-year deal to become the new defensive coordinator at Penn State. It averages $3.1 million over three years. pic.twitter.com/fdI7ajMx4o
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 26, 2025
Knowles was not with the rest of Ohio State’s coaches during Sunday’s national championship celebration at Ohio State.
Now coaching for one of Ohio State’s top competitors in the Big Ten, Knowles will return to Columbus on Nov. 1 when Ohio State hosts Penn State next season.
Ohio State hired Knowles to be its “head coach of the defense” after struggling defensively in both 2020 and 2021, and he built the Buckeyes’ defense into the best in the country over his three years in Columbus. The Buckeyes finished 14th in the nation in total defense in Knowles’ first year at the helm in 2022, then ranked third in the country in total defense and second in the FBS in scoring defense in 2023. Ohio State’s defense led the nation in both points (12.9) and yards (254.6) allowed per game in 2024, leading the way for the Buckeyes to win the national championship.
Now, Ohio State will have to find a new coach to lead its defense as it prepares to break in at least eight new starters in 2025.
It’s unclear who might be the leading candidate to replace Knowles. Given Ohio State’s success defensively this past season, the Buckeyes could consider promoting from within, as safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and secondary coach Tim Walton both have experience as defensive coordinators. That said, Ohio State should be able to attract a highly touted defensive coordinator from either the college or NFL ranks if it wants to, especially coming off of its national championship win.
Whoever coordinates Ohio State’s defense in 2025 will have to replace the Buckeyes’ entire starting defensive line, standout linebacker Cody Simon and starting defensive backs Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock and Lathan Ransom in the secondary. But the new defensive coordinator will inherit unanimous All-American safety Caleb Downs, two other returning starters in Sonny Styles and Davison Igbinosun and plenty of promising up-and-coming talent that gives Ohio State the potential to have another excellent defense next season, even if there are likely to be some growing pains with the exodus of Knowles and a mostly new starting lineup.
