Jim Knowles would be great at OU. But would his hiring be great for the Sooners?

Posted by author January 23, 2025 Football

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Jim Knowles coming back to Oklahoma would be outstanding.

And I’m not even talking in terms of football.

Knowles, who spent four years as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State before leaving for the same job at Ohio State, was such a treat to cover during his time in Stillwater. He could be funny and sarcastic, witty and thoughtful, introspective and informative.

He wasn’t a live wire like his old boss Mike Gundy can be, but I always wanted to hear what Knowles had to say.

So, yes, if OU can somehow lure Knowles away from the newly crowned national champion Ohio State, I’m for it.

But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I wonder if OU should be for it.

Now, there’s no denying that if Brent Venables and the Sooners can hire Knowles, they’ll be employing the best defensive coordinator in college football. He made the Buckeye defense better in each of his three seasons, much like he did with the Cowboys, and this year, Ohio State had the best defense in all the land.

That defense won the Buckeyes their shiny, new national title.

To get Knowles, however, I’m guessing the cost will be steep.

Likely north of $3 million.

Possibly even closer to $4 million.

Knowles, after all, made nearly $3 million at Ohio State this season. He had a base salary of $2.2 million, the third-highest salary by any college football assistant, but with Ohio State’s national-championship run, he received bonuses and incentives that totaled $770,000, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Even though the Buckeyes will have some holes to fill next season, they will be a strong contender to repeat. That means Knowles could easily be looking at another annual payday of around $3 million. He would probably ask for that kind of money at a minimum from OU.

And to convince him to leave the defending champs?

That will likely require even more greenbacks.

Which brings me to the question about whether this is something OU should do.

In this era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness, spending big bucks on anything not related to that should be scrutinized. Head coaches making huge salaries is a cat that no one is getting back in the bag. Assistants in football and basketball making seven figures is a reality, too.

But an assistant making $4 million or more?

That’s a bridge no program has crossed. Ever.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker made $2.5 million this past season, the highest salary ever given to a college assistant.

These numbers are astronomical, but nowadays, they are not only the price of doing business but also a drop in the bucket for most Power Four athletic departments. Total revenue for athletics at LSU, for example, was a little over $199 million the last time USA TODAY Sports did its survey of college athletic departments. That means Baker’s salary is just 1.3% of the total budget.

But let’s say OU pays Knowles $4 million. At last check, its total revenue was just over $177 million.

Knowles’ salary would take 2.3% of that revenue.

A killer?

No.

But every time you spend money somewhere, it won’t be there to be spent elsewhere. On an experienced left tackle, for example. Or a veteran middle linebacker. Or a speedy wide receiver.

OU can always go raise more money, asking fans to dig a little deeper or convincing boosters to add a few more zeros to those checks. But don’t you think Joe Castiglione and Co. have already been doing that? The revenue they’ve generated is nothing to sneeze at — that $177 million total ranks 10th nationally — but it is still $74 million less than the top athletic department.

The school at the top: Ohio State.

Maybe it comes as no surprise that no other FBS public university paid as much in total compensation to its primary football assistants this season. According to USA TODAY Sports’ annual survey of assistant coaching salaries in football, Ohio State paid $11.4 million in guaranteed compensation.

OU’s total: $7.1 million.

And if Knowles’ salary of, let’s say, $4 million replaces Zac Alley’s salary of $850,000, OU’s total will jump to almost $10.3 million. That’s a significant increase, the kind of increase everyone at Sooner Headquarters needs to think long and hard about.

If they pull the trigger, no one will be more excited than me to have a chance to cover Knowles again.

Last week, he was asked to go through each play of the goal-line stand against Texas that propelled Ohio State to the national title game. Knowles balked at first, his eyebrows arching, his eyes widening, his head shaking.

The media types at the press conference laughed at his response.

But then, Knowles gave a response for the ages.

“First play, we got into big people,” he said, raising his fists in front of him. “Boom! Stopped ‘em. Grrr!”

Yes, he literally growled.

He smiled, then turned serious.

“Second play, we were still in big people which leaves you vulnerable to some crack tosses and things,” he said as he held a coffee cup with a McCafe logo just below his lips, “and our guys practiced it and they read it and Caleb Downs pulled his trigger exceptionally and everybody rallied.”

Finally, he took a sip of the coffee.

“Third play, we were in a red-zone coverage that we haven’t used before,” he said, glancing to the side a bit. “So I think we had a good thing there. And Jack (Sawyer) actually got pressure on that play, and we had all the routes covered.

“And then … ”

The coffee cup returned.

“I decided to stay in the same call in the next play,” he said, smiling big enough to be seen behind the coffee cup, “and it worked.”

Another sip.

Another smile.

In that one answer, Knowles showed how fun, genuine and insightful he is. I’d never turn down the opportunity to cover a coach like that. But I don’t have to pay his salary. Or figure out how to make the money work. Or justify such a big jump in assistant salaries while trying to get more money for athletes.

No question Knowles would be great at OU.

Great for OU?

That’s a much more complex question.

Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at facebook.com/JenniCarlsonOK, follow her at @jennicarlsonok.bsky.social and twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok, and support her work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.