The Ohio State Buckeyes have just clinched the College Football Playoff national championship, boasting the most formidable defense in the nation, ranking No. 1 in both total and scoring defense. However, it seems that the architect of this dominant defense, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, is set to leave for a Big Ten rival. According to Toby Rowland of News9/NewsOn6, Knowles has informed Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin of his decision to accept the role of defensive coordinator at Penn State.
“Reliable sources confirm that barring a last-second change of heart, Jim Knowles is headed to Penn State. He has notified James Franklin that he’ll accept their offer of well over $3 million to be the highest-paid coordinator in college football history. Knowles is from Philly,” Rowland stated in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Knowles, who joined the Buckeyes before the 2022 season, has transformed Ohio State’s defense over the past three years into a powerhouse. It’s unclear why he has chosen to depart after such success, especially when Ohio State reportedly offered him a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country.
Knowles was notably absent during Ohio State’s celebration of their national championship victory at Ohio Stadium on Sunday afternoon. It remains to be seen who Ohio State will hire or promote to fill the void left by Knowles.
