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Jim Knowles has 'no concerns' about state of Ohio State defense

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•08/23/22•

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Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Last year, Ohio State fans expressed their concerns about their team’s defense. The Buckeyes allowed 22.8 points per game and allowed at least 35 points three times, including losses to Oregon and Michigan.

This year, Jim Knowles doesn’t sound worried at all.

Knowles is taking over for Kerry Coombs as defensive coordinator and is generating plenty of excitement about the Ohio State defense. He was the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State last year when the Cowboys held opposing teams to 18.1 points per game — a mark that ranked ninth in the nation. Now, he’s leading the Buckeyes’ unit, and he said he isn’t worried at all about their performance in 2022.

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“Now that the corners are coming back, I feel confident in what we have,” Knowles told reporters. “Just seeing it in an actual game live situation. That’s every year for a football coach. The first time you put them out there you want them just to play as well as they can. I have no concerns.”

While Ohio State brings back some key playmakers on defense, notably Ronnie Hickman and Tommy Eichenberg, Ryan Day dove into the transfer portal to land one of the better players from Knowles’ Oklahoma State defense. Tanner McAlister is now in the fold after starting for the Cowboys the last two seasons, and he could play a role in transitioning to the new system.

Jim Knowles updates progress on defensive install at Ohio State

Knowles said during a press conference Monday that the Buckeyes are ahead of schedule on the instillation of the new defensive scheme. That’s why he’s comfortable with where his defense is at considering they’re farther than he expected them to get this fall.

“We’re up to about 75%,” Knowles said. “I’m really, very comfortable with where we’re at because we’re going to have to pare it down (and) get it specific to our opponent as we go. I think we’ve come a long way in terms of instillation. … Farther than I would have expected. The players are very open to learning and they want to be great. That part of it has been exciting and we’ve been able to get a lot in.”