In an interview with ESPN’s Heather Dinich, for a story published on Tuesday, former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles discussed his decision to leave for the same job at Penn State, days after helping the Buckeyes capture their first national championship since 2014.
According to Knowles, who called Penn State head coach James Franklin at 5:06 A.M. to inquire about the team’s open defensive coordinator position two days after Ohio State beat Notre Dame in the National Championship on Jan. 20, his decision to explore other options stemmed from the timing of the Buckeyes’ extension offer. Knowles wanted to have an extension sorted out before the national championship game, but that didn’t happen.
“I did not want to put anyone, including myself, in a position to have to deal with it immediately following the national championship game,” he told ESPN. “And that’s the way it happened.”
Ohio State eventually offered Knowles a new deal, but the native of Philadelphia said it was for less money than what a couple of other programs, including Penn State, offered him.
Knowles, who is set to make $3.1 million a year with Penn State, said he considered staying with the Buckeyes for less money until they asked him not to attend the national championship parade on Jan. 26.
“Maybe I’ll take less because Ohio State’s a great place,” Knowles said, “but then they asked me not to come to the parade. So then you’re like, ‘OK, honestly, the writing is on the wall.’ Now it becomes something. It’s always something on the outside world, but now it’s become something here, too. I hadn’t made any decisions, but you just kind of feel like — I wouldn’t say I’m not wanted here — but you just feel like, OK, now it’s gotten awkward.”
Knowles, who helped Ohio State become the No. 1 defense in points per game allowed (12.9) and yards per game allowed (255) in his third and final year with the Buckeyes in 2024, will now attempt to lead the Nittany Lions to the same sort of defensive dominance in 2025.
Perhaps the toughest test for Knowles’ defense will come on Nov. 1, when Penn State travels to Columbus, in hopes of its first win over Ohio State since 2016.
