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Jim Knowles inked as highest-paid Ohio State assistant in history

Austin-Wardby:Austin Ward•12/10/21•

AWardSports

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Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will make nearly $2 million. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

COLUMBUS — Jim Knowles is breaking a record just by showing up at Ohio State.

The former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator is now the highest-paid assistant in Buckeyes history, according to terms released by the program on Friday. It’s a sign of just how much interest there was in Knowles around the country and the value Ohio State expects him to deliver with the Silver Bullets.

Knowles will officially start with the program the day after the Rose Bowl in January. And when he does, Ohio State confirmed the exact details of a three-year contract worth $1.9-million in base salary per season — entrusting him with immediately overhauling a defense that hasn’t been meeting the championship standard.

“I think there’s some [lessons from the Michigan game] that we’ll get into, certainly down the road,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on Sunday. “But just like, immediately, we’ve got to obviously do a better job stopping the run and running the football. That’s the No. 1 thing that that you recognize.

“We weren’t able to get some stops really in the second half. And I think if we had it would have been a different game.”

The Buckeyes wasted no time making a major coaching move with an eye on erasing the kind of mistakes that doomed them against both Oregon and Michigan this year.

Even with a Rose Bowl looming on New Year’s Day, the Buckeyes are clearly already in an offseason mode with a record-setting contract now executed and roster management in full swing.

There could be more money handed out over the coming weeks, most notably with Day in line for a raise and top assistants like Brian Hartline getting pursued for other jobs elsewhere. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith made it clear the resources would be there for the staff, and he had already approved a boost for running backs coach Tony Alford after LSU offered him a position.

Now the Buckeyes have shown just how wide open the checkbook was to bring in Jim Knowles.

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