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Report: Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles leaving for same position at Penn State

Spencer-Holbrookby:Spencer Holbrook•about 23 hours•

SpencerHolbrook

Jim Knowles by Mick Walker -- Lettermen Row --
Jim Knowles (Mick Walker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is losing the best defensive coordinator in college football: Jim Knowles is leaving the Buckeyes program for the same post at Big Ten rival Penn State, according to multiple reports.

The shocking news comes less than a week after Knowles helped the top-ranked Ohio State defense shut down some of the best offensive units in college football on its way to a national title, the ninth in program history.

Knowles had a three-year run with Ohio State that will go down as one of the best three-year defensive turnarounds in college football history. The Buckeyes finished with a truly horrendous No. 97 pass defense in the country during the 2021 season, and the run defense was severely lagging compared to program standards.

Then Knowles was hired as the highest-paid assistant in the history of the Buckeyes program, and every year his defenses steadily improved — especially in 2023 and 2024, when the Buckeyes ultimately won the national title after three years of building the defense under Knowles.

The Buckeyes finished this national championship run, which was led largely by the defense, as the:

+ No. 1 scoring defense
+ No. 1 total defense
+ No. 1 defense in yards per play
+ No. 1 in total touchdowns per game
+ No. 1 in redzone touchdowns allowed (in 16 games)
+ No. 2 sack yards defense
+ No. 2 tackles for loss yards
+ No. 2 total defensive sacks
+ No. 2 in passing touchdowns allowed per game
+ No. 2 in opponent red zone scoring percentage
+ No. 2 in opponent red zone touchdowns
+ No. 3 run defense
+ No. 3 in pass defense
+ No. 3 in sacks per game

That’s truly remarkable for the national title-winning Buckeyes defensive unit — and for Knowles.

Sources told On3’s Andy Staples that a contract extension offer was made from Ohio State to Knowles — one that would make him the highest-paid assistant coach in the sport. He turned it down.

Rumored swirled around a potential Knowles departure for a week between the Cotton Bowl semifinal win over Texas and the national title win over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish, Oklahoma and Penn State have all been involved in talks with Knowles and his agent. Penn State ultimately won out with those discussions.

Now he’s leaving the Buckeyes with two years remaining. He and the Nittany Lions will owe Ohio State a seven-figure buyout on his way to State College.

Ohio State isn’t his only stop Knowles has succeeded at. Time at Oklahoma State and Duke were also ultra-successful.

During Knowles’ first season in Stillwater, the Cowboys were No. 112 nationally in yards allowed per game. In his second season, they jumped to No. 82, and then to No. 44 last season. They were on the cusp of the College Football Playoff in his final year at Oklahoma State thanks to their No. 3-ranked defense in the country, which gave up just 273.6 yards per game, allowed just under 90 yards per game on the ground and gave up more than 24 points just once, against Oklahoma in their rivalry game — which they won in 2021. Knowles took a poor defense and turned it around quickly — and then did it again at Ohio State for three years.

That ended with a national championship at Ohio State. Now he’s moving on and stating a new coaching journey at Penn State.

Jim Knowles will return to the Horseshoe for the first time when Penn State visits Ohio State on Nov. 1.

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