Everything Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said about Notre Dame football
Notre Dame gets its chance to take on a Jim Knowles-led defense after all. Eight months after the Fighting Irish took on Oklahoma State just after Knowles left the Cowboys to become the defensive coordinator at Ohio State, Notre Dame has the Buckeyes on the schedule for Saturday’s season-opener.
Knowles led Oklahoma State to a No. 4 national finish in total defense in 2021. The Cowboys only allowed 297.9 yards per game to opposing offenses. Without Knowles in the Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma State gave up a season-high 551 yards to Notre Dame.
Ohio State had the country’s No. 59 total defense, meanwhile, at 372.6 yards allowed per game. Knowles joined forces with head coach Ryan Day to trim that number down some. That endeavor starts Saturday night with the Irish in town. Here’s everything Knowles said about the blue and gold.
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On shaping his players’ mindset for such a big game
“Well, it’s leadership. It’s living that and showing them this is how we operate under pressure. Also by putting the pressure on them during practice. What I tell them on game day is all their mistakes are on me. During the week, I make sure they know about their mistakes and I’m hard on them. But on game day all their mistakes are on me because if they’re not ready, that’s my fault.”
On there not being a lot of tape on Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner
“I don’t go back to high school (film). He’s played some. We’ve scouted him like you would and done our due diligence. But it is a first game, so really it goes back to your training because you have to be ready for everything. And you have to be able to adjust.”
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On playing a first-time starting quarterback
“I don’t think there is a benefit. It’s kind of a wild card. You don’t know what to except as much, and you really got to be ready for anything. You fall back on more of your system because you really don’t know what to expect.”
On Notre Dame looking to the Fiesta Bowl for tips on what to expect from the Ohio State defense
“I’m aware. It’s a good game to have to be able to look at it from both sides, what Oklahoma State did and what our opponent did. But it’s just another game. You may glean more from it because of the aspects of game-planning that go on on both sides, but it’s just one in many games that you look at.”
On Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer
“You have to mix it up. You have to blend in different coverages and people who are on him coming from different directions. He’s an excellent player. He’s an NFL player. He has that ability to lean into the coverage, find the open spot. So it is about knowing where he is at all times and making sure that we’re changing it up enough with him to keep him off balance.”
On taking a moment to internalize the magnitude of the game in the moment Saturday night
“Nope. I’m going to stay focused and in a locked in mindset and do my job. That’s what the players need.”
